


Pandora Black and Meeting the Prisoner with Harry

by MicroFox25



Series: Pandora Black [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Au: Sirius has a child, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Hermione/OFC momentarily, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, PoC Harry, Self-Harm, gay crushes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2018-12-11 23:57:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 22,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11725251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MicroFox25/pseuds/MicroFox25
Summary: Pandora is back at Hogwarts with Harry and it seems that everything is going downhill fast. With the escaped prisoner out for Harry's blood, she has to step up and be the protector she promised herself she would be. Life always seems to have other plans for her, as she is to soon find out.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like this one. I've been looking forward to this book since i started this story.

Pandora Black was staring at the TV, long after the breaking News came on. She didn't know how long she was staring at the TV, as her father turned it off long before. She wasn't sure if she even was looking  _ at _ the TV or  _ past _ it. They were all sitting around the TV when it came on, saying that a convict escaped. “... Black is armed and extremely dangerous…” She looked at her parents, who were sharing a look. 

When she stood suddenly, they both flinched. “That's not… Black is a muggle name, too. Right? Just like…” She thought back to all of the pureblood families. Weasley, Malfoy, Potter, Black, Parkinson, Goyle… Shed never heard of those names before Hogwarts. He swallowed thickly. “He's related to me, then?” They didn't seem to say a first name that she remembered. 

“I don't know, sweety.” She silently thanked her mother and father for being so patient with her. The end of last year, her father told her that her father, while they didn't know his name, was a really bad person. He killed a lot of people in the street which is why she was out up for adoption. She was adopted by them at three and they hoped they would never have to tell her. 

“God, why does my whole family have to be bad guys?” She huffed as she sat down on the floor, laying back. It seemed like everything was going wrong at once. She wasn't allowed to see Harry- his guardians rules. The last time she saw Hermione, she became so red that Hermione sent her home thinking she was sick and now a crazy relative of hers escaped prison and was on the run. Who knew where he was or who else he would hurt? Did he know about her? Would he come after her because he knew they were related?

Not only that, but her body started changing and she woke up a few nights ago sticky and groggy. Thinking that it was just sweat, she went to the bathroom and when she looked down, she screamed. Her mother was the first one in, who she cried that she was bleeding. She was then told that it's the natural process of a young woman's body. That was not a fun morning, filled with talks of blood and babies. She definitely didn't like that conversation. 

After dinner, Pandora walked up stairs to Ria, her cat who was curled up on her bed. The feline grew much bigger in the summer, stretching in length and growing in size. With a great purr, Ria stretched out again, turning. Pandora sat down and began to pet the cat's soft fur.

She sat petting Ria until a tap on the window made her jump. She looked up to see an owl with a letter. When she read it, she jumped around, excited.

It was from Hermione! 

_ Pandora, _

_ I hope this letter finds you. I've just been informed that I will soon be going shopping, just as soon as I get my letter. I was wondering if you would be allowed to do your shopping at the same time that I do, and maybe we could be able to stay at the Leaky Cauldron until it is time to make our way to the train station. If you don't write back, I will be taking a room at that place and will wait for you to arrive.  _

_ Hermione. _

Hermione was inviting her to stay at the Leaky Cauldron so they can go shopping together! Excited, Pandora ran down the stairs loudly, tripping on the last one and falling down. Her chest and face hurt very bad as she sat up. Her nose was running, so she just wiped it as she ran into the living room. “Mum! Hermione wants to-”

“What happened to your face?” 

“I fell down the stairs, I'm okay. Hermione wants me to go shopping with her when we get our letters. She's also staying at the Leaky, so she wants to know If I can stay as well.”

“I don't see why not.” Pandora shouted out and jumped, her nose running more, so she wiped it again. It kind of hurt, but that could've been from the fall. “But can we get you cleaned up?” Her mum motioned to her hand and she looked. It was covered in blood. With a hand to her face, she realized her nose was bleeding. She chuckled nervously as she was lead to the kitchen. “Your recklessness is going to get you seriously hurt one day, Pandora.” 

She smiled sheepishly as a paper towel was pressed to her face to soak up the blood. It was interesting to her to see such a dark, crisp red on the white sheet. She sat there studying the color as her mother pressed another to her face. She looked at her mother, then. She hadn't really looked at her face in a long time. Kelly had deep red hair and pretty brown eyes. She had the start of wrinkles at her eyes, giving her an aged look, and she held laugh lines.

She was well in her thirties when Pandora was adopted, and that was ten years ago. Maybe age is playing a toll on her. “I love you, mum.” Her mum looked at her, straightening her back. 

“I… I love you, too. Are you okay?” 

“I just figured you needed to hear it. I do love you.” Suddenly, Pandora was pulled into a tight hug. Her mother pulled her flat against her body in a tight embrace. It felt good to be held so tightly, and Pandora melted into the motherly comfort.

“I love you, too, Pandora.” 

“I think… I might want to change my name.” She was cautious. “I might take your name.” Kelly had tears in her eyes as she hugged Pandora tight again. 

“We'll give you this year to think about it, alright? You have this school year to think about it.” 

“Alright.” 


	2. Chapter 2

Outside of the Leaky Cauldron, she watched as a piece of paper flew at her. Pandora grabbed it, waiting for the wind to lessen before reading the front page. It was the  _ Daily Prophet _ and it was about the escaped prisoner. 

_ Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the ministry of Magic confirmed today. “We are doing all we can to recapture Black,” said Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning “and we beg the magical community to remain calm.” Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. _

She signed as she read. So he was definitely Wizard. That means that he was definitely related to Pandora. She hoped, at that time, that he didn't know who she was. Bad enough he's killed innocent strangers, what would he do to her?

_ While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear if a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse. _

Pandora shuttered. A single curse? She didn't want to think about it. 

When she walked into the Leaky Cauldron, she instantly saw a large bush of frizzy brown hair and dark colored skin. “Hermione!” She called out, attracting the attention of many other patrons. Hermione looked up and her chocolate colored eyes widened. 

She ran over and hugged Pandora tightly, making her blush deeply. “I have a room already if you're able to stay.”

“My parents said it's okay. Let's go.” She was pulled along by her hand, leading her upstairs. There, she saw a boy with equally dark hair as her own which stuck up in every angle and only slightly lighter skin than Hermione’s. “Harry!” She yelled as she threw herself at him. He laughed as he hugged her tightly, embracing her like a sister he hadn't seen in a long time.

“Pan, how are you?” 

“I'm okay. Could be better. How are you here? Weren't you with those demon relatives?” At that, Harry blushed. 

“I actually ran away. Aunt Marge was talking bad about my parents and I kind of blew her up. Like a balloon.” She laughed out loud, earning a scowl from Hermione. 

“Honestly Hermione, if you met these people, you'd react the same.” She rounded back to Harry. “How did you get out of trouble?”

“Fudge said that since it was an accident, I won't be accused of anything.”

“Thank god for that.” 

Walking into the room she was going to share with Hermione, the gravity of her situation sank in. She was sharing a room with Hermione. She swallowed thickly, turning her friend. “Maybe this isn't such a good idea.” 

Hermione looked hurt. “Why not?” Oh, how she never wanted to put that look on her face. “Is something wrong?”  _ oh, no, just crushing on one of my best friends. _

“I…” Pandora huffed. “I snore?” She offered weakly. Hermione’s cheered up slightly, but Pandora didn't. 

“That's okay. I'm a pretty heavy sleeper. Is Ria going to be okay with Crookshanks?” She sighed, knowing it was a losing battle. She just couldn't argue against Hermione.

“Yea. She'll be fine.” In truth, Pandora didn't know. Ria wasn't around many cats, especially one as… selective as Crookshanks.

The worst part was sleeping, or trying to. Knowing that Hermione was right next to her made her throat tighten. “Are you awake?” She whispered, hoping to get some kind of answer. When Pandora got no response, she stood and padded over to the door. Soon, she found herself at Harry’s door, knocking lightly. 

“Come in?” When she opened the door, he was sitting at the desk staring out the window. He looked over in time to see her walking next to him. “You okay?”

“Can't sleep. You?”

“The same.” He commented easily. “So, I can guess you've heard about Sirius Black?” She rolled her eyes, already tired of hearing about him.

“Well, we're sort of related, so yea. I heard.” Harry laughed bitterly. He didn't hold that against her, did he? She couldn't change who her family was. She wasn't like them. 

“Everyone has been so weird about it, you know? The Minister especially. He was acting like the man was going to try to break in and kill me. Why is that?”

“No clue.” She sat next to him, looking out to Muggle London. It was actually very pretty at night. “If anyone would be in danger, wouldn't it be me? I'm related to the bastard. Why is it always you?” He looked at her. The look he had was questioning. “You know, Quirrell with Voldemort on the back of his head, the basilisk and, again Voldemort, now Sirius Black for some reason.” She shrugged. “Maybe since he's a big follower, he's angry that you killed his leader?” 

“I didn't  _ mean  _ to.” They sat in a comfortable silence. Why did it always have to be Harry? He was just a baby when this started. He didn't have parents and wasn't able to see his friends very often, he was bullied by his cousin, can't the universe give him a break? 

“Maybe he was actually in love with Voldemort and you killed his object of affection.” Harry made a face and she laughed out loud. “We should try and get sleep. We have to go to King's Cross tomorrow.” He nodded, and as she walked away, he made a noise. When she turned back, he was looking distraught. She just wanted to hug him and take away all of his pain. 

“I'm glad you chose me to be friends.” She melted at that. He hadn't been very sentimental and she figured that it might be what boys are like. It took a while for her to realize that Harry didn't know how to be affectionate. He lived with emotionally distant relatives that only saw him as a burden, so that's all he actually knew. 

“We're practically siblings, Harry. It's more than being friends.” He smiled brightly, something she hadn't seen on his face in a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

On the train, they were all walking together, until they made it to the most empty compartment. There was already someone there, sleeping. She looked around, noticing the man's bag above.  _ Professor R. J. Lupin _ . Her heart made a slight jump. Thinking back to her own name  _ Pandora Lupin Black _ she thought it was an awfully strange coincidence. 

There wasn't enough room to sit, so she stood as he told them what he heard from the Weasley’s last night. He told of Sirius Black. “He was saying some stuff in his sleep. Saying ‘he's at Hogwarts.’ they officially think he's after me.”

“Sirius Black escaped to come after you?” Hermione’s gasped. “Oh, Harry… you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble, Harry-”

“I don't go looking for trouble. Trouble usually finds  _ me _ .”

“But you're just a kid. He can't really be trying to kill you.” Pandora reasoned. “It's not like he'd actually break out  _ now _ just to kill you. Why wait this long?” 

“Maybe he hasn't gotten a reason to.” Ron tried.

“So what's his reason now? Why wait twelve years. Why not break out earlier? How'd he even break out anyways? I heard that place is impenetrable.”

“”No one knows how he got out of Azkaban. No one's ever done it before. And he was a top security prisoner, too.” Ron explained. 

“But they'll catch him, won't they?” Hermione’s offered. “I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking for him, too…” After her legs became tired from standing, she explained that she was gonna find Luna and Padma. Down the path, she ran straight into someone in green. 

“Hell, I'm sorry.” When she looked up, though, she noticed the scowl of a Slytherin. “Oh, it's you.” 

“You don't have to be rude.” Pansy scowled. 

“As if you're not rude every day of your life? If you're done darkening the hallway, I have somewhere to be.” When she tried to pass Pansy, her arm was grabbed. 

“Don't think you can just get in the final word. You think you're so ‘Ravenclaw high and mighty,’ but-” Pandora jerked her arm away.

“I don't care about this petty rivalry your friends have with Gryffindor. It isn't about houses or pride. I don't care about that. I care about Harry. You have been a jerk to Harry, so I don't like you.” 

“You-”

“if you weren't such an asshole to Harry and Hermione and Ron, I wouldn't have such a problem with you.” a look crossed her face, but Pandora wasn't paying attention. She wanted to see her friends. As she walked away, she heard Pansy talking.

“Is that true?” She sighed and turned around. Pansy was looking at her in a way that reminded Pandora of the way that her mom looks at her dad. 

“Yea, Pansy. It's true. I might even think you were cute, but your personality is ugly.” she was glad that no one was listening. 

“So you're gay?” Pandora rolled her eyes and walked away. She found Luna sitting with Ginny and another in their year that she didn't recognize. 

“Mind if I sit here?” Ginny motioned to the empty seat and she sat down. “So how are you guys?” Luna went on to explain about her father's work. Everything was good. 

Until it wasn't. 

When the train stopped nowhere near the station, she stood. Then the lights went out. 

Her chest grew tight, tears were already forming behind her eyes and she couldn't breath. She climbed out of the compartment,  aiming to be clear of the tight space, when in the distance, she saw something black and flowing.  _ Harry’s room _ . She ran without thinking, only stopping when she saw the notable light of a patronus. 

She ran in, followed by other curious students. The professor was there. She looked Harry up and down for any damage as he nibbled on a piece of chocolate. “Is he okay?” When he stepped aside, she ran in, taking his face in her hands. “Are you okay?”

“Yea, I'm… fine. I just…” She sat down next to him and listened to him talk about hearing the woman scream before he fell unconscious. She couldn't resist the urge, wrapping him tightly in a hug, which he graciously returned. After that, he didn't talk much for the entire trip. She was worried. It seemed like he was taking the attack far more personal than just being upset. Who was the woman? she sighed and laced his fingers between hers. 

When they made it to the station, she was separated from them and ushered into the hall. She knew she had to take her potion soon, but let herself be carried to the Great Hall. After the sorting and halfway through the meal, the doors opened and Harry and Hermione walked in. She was up in an instant, walking to him. Someone from from the Slytherin table was making fun of him when she snapped “How about I take after Ginny with the Bat bogey hex? Wouldn't like that, would you!” They shut up quickly, letting her escort him to the table. “If anyone gives you trouble, let me know if it becomes too much.” He nodded, looking grateful. 

When she sat down, someone was talking to her back. “What is he, your boyfriend?” it was a Slytherin, and she could bet any money that it was Malfoy. If not, someone who sounded alot like him.

Loudly, she said, “He's like my brother. Just because most purebloods are into incest doesn't mean if have to be, too.” There was a snicker from somewhere to her left, but she ignored it, turning to Luna, who was poking get her food with her fork. She tried to get Luna to eat, but she nearly kept poking at her food saying she ate too much candy on the train. 

She talked aimlessly to her, and Padma on the other side. As she stuffed her face with as much pie as she could possibly fit, she listened as Padma talked about her home life. Sirius Black and Dementors aside, she was having a pretty good time and this year looked like it was going to turn out well.


	4. Chapter 4

Classes were mostly the same. More advanced, of course, but generally seemed to be exactly the same. History of magic was just as boring, Potions was still her least favourite, and Transfiguration was just as daunting. She met Harry in the hall on their way to class, and after, they would split off to go where they needed. First was potions, which turned out to be a disaster. She failed the potion, creating a thick black smoke that choked her and was given detention with points removed. She was to spend the weekend with Filtch, cleaning with her bare hands. She knew for a fact that Filtch hated her, so by the time she would be done, her hands would be raw from the sheer amount of cleaning. She was half tempted to buy fireworks just to set them off in his office. There’s no way they could be traced back to her if they were muggle fireworks and she used a lighter. 

It was quite hilarious to see how Wizards viewed muggle items. Her favourite class by far, she couldn’t control her laughter at some of the things that Wizards came up with. They didn’t have the correct answers for anything. She didn’t have any sense to actually take the class seriously. It was almost like a filler course for her, not to be taken entirely seriously. She did try, though, writing a full essay on the usefulness of using paper vs. Plastic when grocery shopping. The Wizard’s standpoint seemed different than Muggle because most people seemed to not even know.

After that, she had Care of Magical Creatures while Harry had Divination. She read his schedule before at breakfast. The hippogriffs that Hagrid had seemed to not like her as much. She didn’t understand why, she did everything right. Maybe it was her aura? When she bowed, it barely moved and Hagrid made her back away. She slowly inched away, but the animal reared up on its hind legs and she fell back, scrambling away. She didn’t want to be anywhere near the sharp talons of the beast. When Padma was the one who tried next, the creature decided that she was a better person to be nice to. She pulled down her eyelid again at the great bird, but stayed at a distance for her own safety. If it didn’t like her walking up, it definitely wouldn’t like her taunting it. Hagrid came over and apologized for the great creature not liking her.

“It's no problem, really. I prefer small animals to giant ones.” The rest of the class ran pretty smoothly, which made Pandora wonder, again, why she was the only one he didn't like. 

Defense Against the Dark Arts was an interesting class for Pandora. Professor Lupin looked at the name chart, then at her and back. She was laughing with Padma when she noticed him watching her. She crooked her eyebrow at him and he started his lesson. He had them all stand, pulling out a wardrobe. It was wobbling and banging about, causing everyone to reel back. 

“It's okay,. Not dangerous. Can anyone tell me what it is?” Pandora raised her hand and a look of amusement crossed his face. “Pandora.”

“A Boggart. It's a creature that takes the shape of whatever you fear the most.” 

“Very good.” He beamed. “Who can tell me what it looks like?” She raised her hand, but Padma was just a little bit faster. 

“Padma.” 

“No one knows. It takes the form of fear, so no one has seem what it actually looks like. It can change into literally anything.”

“Correct. Now, to combat a Boggart there is a simple solution, and that is laughter. Laughter weakens it, which let's us then use the incantation,  _ Riddikulus _ .” 

_ “Riddikulus. _ ” The class called out.

“Great!” He smiled. “Now, everyone line up.” Pandora was the fifth person in line behind several of her housemates and one brave Hufflepuff. Slowly, the line crawled away. When she was next, she tried to think of what she was most afraid of. At first she thought it would be Sirius Black, then a thought crossed her mind, thinking of tight, dark spaces. What it actually turned into was much worse. 

It went from a giant snake the size of a human to dark hair and deep skin and emerald eyes. Without warning, his eyes rolled up and he fell to the ground, lids open, but unseeing. She just stood there watching the creature. Tears filled her eyes as she took a deep breath. The entire class was dead silent as she pointed her Ebony wand and barely managed to whisper, “ _ Riddikulus.” _ The Boggart of Harry stood and started to tapdance, but no one laughed. She was hoping they would. It wouldn’t be as bad if they laughed. She walked to the back of the room and sat on the floor against the wall and covered her face. When class resumed, she finally let the tears fall. While silently heaving from effort not to make noise, something touched her shoulder so she jumped. 

Padma was smiling at her sadly, she then noticed that class was over. She stood, letting Padma lead her out of the room. The next class was the Gryffindor/Slytherin DADA class, so she ran right into Harry. She couldn't control herself, pulling him into a tight hug, which after a moment, he hugged her back. She felt a prickling in the back of her neck and she looked up to see Pansy and Draco standing side by side, watching. Draco said something to Pansy and she responded, neither taking their eyes off of Harry and her. They were probably talking about them being in a relationship or something. She rolled her eyes as she sniffed, wiping her tears on her sleeve.

“I'm sorry.” She mumbled. “I should go.” She pushed off of him and walked, holding her head up as much as possible, past Draco and Pansy, not sparing them a  second glance. She wouldn’t give them that satisfaction. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I've been having problems in my personal life, but it should go back to regular updates

When Halloween came around, Pandora began to worry herself sick. Not even the calming Draught could calm her nerves. It started when the Harry was going to be the only third year to stay from Hogsmeade. 

She didn't want him left out, so she stayed. They watched the rest of the year leave and Pandora turned on Harry. “Let's go. No point in waiting here miserably.”

“No, we'll just wander around miserably.” She snorted and pulled him, along. Walking aimlessly, they ran Into Filtch, who was all but cursing them for not going to Hogsmeade. After they escaped his wrath, they made their way to the owlery to visit Hedwig. 

“She is amazingly beautiful.” Pandora commented, thinking about his snow owl. 

“Pandora? Harry?” They both looked over to see Professor Lupin. “What are you doing here? Where are Ron and Hermione?” 

“Hogsmeade.” He said, trying to sound casual. 

“Ah.” Lupin looked at Harry, then Pandora. “Why don't you come in? I've just taken the delivery of a grindylow for our next lesson?”

As they followed, Harry spoke. “A what?”

“A water demon.” Pandora said, looking around the room. Lupin looked at Pandora again, who turned red. She didn't want to admit that she read ahead, finishing the book quickly. Instead, she leaned over to Harry. “His last name is my middle name.” She whispered. 

“Cup of tea?” Lupin offered, smiling. Harry looked at Pandora who shrugged and nodded. Harry nodded to, so Lupin looked around. He found his kettle, tapping it with his wand. “Sit down. I've only got teabags, I'm afraid, but i daresay you've have enough of tea leaves?” Harry groaned, looking up at Lupin again. 

“How'd you know about that?” about what?

“Professor McGonagall told me.” He set out two extra cups, one for both children. “You're not worried, are you?” She looked at Harry pointedly. 

“My demise was predicted in my tea leaves.” Harry explained before turning to Lupin. “No I'm not.” Harry watched the teacher for a moment before a look crossed his face. 

“Anything worrying you, Harry?”

“No.” Harry said, then took a drink. “Yes. You know that day we fought that boggart?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn't you let me fight it?” She shared a look with Harry, before turning to Lupin. Pandora drained her cup of tea in one drink and another look passed Lupin’s features. Lupin explained that he thought it would be Voldemort. Harry explained that it was going to be a Dementor. 

“So why did you not let him, but I had to deal with mine?” Pandora snapped. 

“I didn't know what yours would be, or that it was so bad.” Harry looked at her, but didn't say anything. Padma explained when they walked out of the room what had happened. “If I would've known…” They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Snape walked in with a goblet of steaming  _ something  _ and placed it on the desk. “Thank you very much.” Snape looked between Pandora, Harry, and Lupin. 

“I was just showing them the grindylow.” Lupin said, as if trying to play innocent. 

“Fascinating.” Snape drawled, “You should take that directly, Lupin.” And he backed out of the room. Pandora rolled her eyes then looked at Lupin. 

“Professor Snape has kindly concocted a potion for me. I have never been much of a potion brewer and this one is particularly complex.” Lupin explained. He picked up the goblet, smelling it. “Pity sugar makes it useless.” He took a drink and shuttered. Pandora turned her head, watching out of the corner of her eye, waiting for him to react to being poisoned.

“Why-”

“I've been feeling a bit off-color.” Pandora snorted. She could only think  _ he looks human colored enough _ . “This potion Is the only thing that helps.” she was still pretty dubious. 

“Professor Snape is very interested in The Dark Arts.” Harry blurted out. Pandora looked at him incredulously. 

“Really?” Lupin didn't seem to actually care. It was like he knew that already. There was something lingering in the air that she couldn't place. 

“Some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job.” She couldn't believe he was saying this. Sure she was thinking it, but she wasn't planning on telling him. 

At the feast, Harry and Pandora sat together. No one seemed to mind anymore, probably appreciative that they were dealing with inter house relationships. After the meal and her watching Nearly Headless Nick reenact his own failed beheading, everyone was sent to their respective dorms. before she could even sleep, Pandora was shaken and they were escorted to the great Hall. 

Pandora found Harry instantly, sitting next to him on the floor. “What happened?” 

“Sirius Black attacked the Fat Lady.”

“Oh god, is she okay?” 

“They found her and she's shaken, but otherwise okay.” She hugged him and laid down next to him when it called for lights out. They sat and talked for a long time before someone eventually came and told them to sleep.

When she was in class, she jumped when the door burst open and Snape walked In. When he mentioned werewolves, Pandora started to listen. She was always interested in the things like that. “Which of you can tell me how to distinguish between the werewolf and a true wolf?” When no one moved, Pandora slowly raised her hand. He completely ignored her. She raised her hand higher, to no effect. 

She took a deep breath, trying not to make a scene. When she picked up her book, hiding behind it, she began to read. She had read it before, but he didn't know that. She pretended to read about werewolves, thinking about Astronomy. Space in general was more interesting than Snape’s teaching. Personally, she wanted to send Snape to live on the moon without a suit. 

_ The moon _ . She pulled out her moon chart- losing five points for not doing what was instructed- and studied it for a moment.  _ The full moon is tonight _ . When class was over, she walked out, heading straight to the library. She only found one notable book on werewolves. She sat there for a long time, thinking. 

In class, she jumped when the door burst open. She was in Transfiguration, so McGonagall bristled at the interruption. Flitwick was there, beside Dumbledore. “May we speak to Pandora Black?” Her heart jumped to her throat as McGonagall nodded, just as confused as the rest of the class. She followed the two men silently until they made their way to Dumbledore’s office. She looked at them, but no one would meet her eye. Had she does something wrong? Was this about Sirius Black, even? Because she shared the same last name with him? Inside the office, Pandora saw who she knew was the Minister of Magic. 

“Cornelius, this is Pandora.” Pandora swallowed hard. She was definitely in trouble. Why else would the minister of magic be here? What did she do wrong? 

“Ah, yes. We are still waiting for the final party, if you'd be patient.” She swallowed. There was a lump in her throat so thick she couldn't breathe properly. When the fire burned a vibrant green, she flinched, covering her eyes from the light. Why was he here? Coming through the fire, with billowing robes of black and green, with long white-blonde hair, stood Lucius Malfoy.


	6. Chapter 6

“Terribly sorry for your loss.” Lucius explained with fake sympathy. 

“Loss?” She looked at Dumbledore, who wasn't looking at her, with no twinkle in his eye. “What happened?”

“I'm sorry, Miss Black, but your parents have both been in a car wreck.” Fudge explained. 

“What?” She chuckled. “If this is a joke, it's not funny. Which one of you is George with Polyjuice Potion? The other is Fred, right?” She looked around the room, expecting one of them to break out into a smile. “This isn't funny.” 

“Kelly and Howard Riter died in the hospital earlier this morning.” The Minister seemed uncomfortable with his predicament. 

“So-” Her voice caught in her throat. “So they're dead? This isn't some sick joke?” She wanted it to be. She wanted someone to jump out from behind the desk and say it's all a prank. “What's he doing here then?” She pointed at the Elder Malfoy.

“In such trying times, family should stick together. You should be with a respectable, cautious wizard family. Especially with a killer on the loose.” There was something in his tone that irked Pandora. “So, since we are your only surviving family members who  _ aren't _ in prison, we have decided to take you in.” Lucius opened his arms as if expecting her to leap into his embrace. 

“I don't want to.” She turned to Fudge. “Can't you send me to a different family? I'll even stand for Muggles.” 

“No, I'm sorry. This is the safest option for you.” 

When she told Harry, Ron and Hermione were there. All three of them gaped at her, not believing what was happening. It took them a whole five minutes before they were wrapping her in hugs and telling her that they were there for her. Ron apparently owled his mum and she said that Pandora was welcome at their house. 

She was most thankful when Hogsmeade came around. She knew Harry’s plans of sneaking into Hogsmeade with the invisibility Cloak, even though Hermione and Ron did not. She had talked to him about it, and she was to wait by Honeydukes for him. Fearing that he was caught, she watched the ground for footprints so intently that she nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt an arm on her shoulder. 

When she turned around and no one was there, she whispered. “Zil?” Which was their code word, instead of just calling out his name. 

“Yea.” She sighed and walked behind the stores. When he removed the cloak, she sighed at his hair. 

“So how is it? How'd you get behind me?” He pulled out a piece of paper. “What's this?” He smirked as he pulled out his wand. 

“ _ I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.” _ She was amazed at the tendrils that created the border of what looked like a map. 

_ Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs Purveyors of Aid to Magical Mischief Makers are proud to present: THE MARAUDERS MAP. _

Pandora was in shock. Looking at the map, it was obviously Hogwarts. “Where'd you get this?” 

“Fred and George.” Harry beamed. “Now let's go get some treats, yes?” it was her turn to smile brightly, as they made their way out, Harry covering himself in the cloak. Inside Honeydukes, Ron and Hermione were looking at candy that Harry might want. 

She busied herself with looking at candy while Harry scared the daylights out of Ron. Too poor to actually buy anything, she just waited until Ron and Hermione walked outside before following.

They ended up heading to the Three Broomsticks. She was sitting next to Hermione, Ron next to her, and Harry in the seat on the other side, keeping his head down. While they drank the frothy butterbeer, Pandora felt a sudden cold breeze and turned around to see McGonagall, Flitwick, Hagrid, then finally Fudge. She rushed to push Harry’s head down, lest they see him. 

They were talking very loudly. “So what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?” Madam Rosmerta asked as she sat down. 

“What else, m’dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?”

“I heard a rumor.”

“Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?” McGonagall asked.

“Do you think Black is still in the area, Minister?” She was happy she was looking away because they paused, probably looking at her. She pretended to be talking with Hermione. 

“I'm sure of it.” 

“You know that the dementors have searched the whole village twice? Scared all my customers away. It's very bad for business, Minister.”

“Rosmerta, m’dear, I don't like them any more than you do.” She listened carefully, silently willing them to get to the point. “All the same, they are all here to protect you all from something much worse. We all know what Black’s capable of.”

“Do you know, I'm still having trouble believing it. Of all people to go over to the dark side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought… I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead.”

“You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta.” The Minister seemed breathless, almost. “The worst he did isn't even widely known.”

“The worst? Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?”

“I remember certainly do.”

“You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta.” McGonagall started, “Do you remember who his best friend was?”

“Naturally. Never saw one without the other, did you. The number of times I had them in here- oh, they used make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter.” Harry dropped his tankard and Pandora sat up straight. 

“You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers.” Flitwick chimed in. “Much like our younger counterparts now.” She had to focus not to turn around. 

“Of course they were. Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. They named him godfather to Harry. In the same breath, James was named godfather to poor little Pandora.” She tensed. How would Sirius name James godfather?”

“Horrible just the same, Pandora's story, too.” McGonagall responded. 

“The poor girl has had it so rough. She was put into foster care when Sirius was arrested you know. No one else to take care of her. Then those parents died only a few weeks ago.” Fudge was the one talking. “She was raised on Muggle ideals from the start. Maybe it was better that way.” 

“How so?” Rosmerta asked. 

“Well, she's already broken the chain, hasn't she? First Black to ever be in Ravenclaw.” McGonagall explained. 

“If she was raised by pureblood wizards, she'd probably be in the same state of mind as them. She is in the house that beat suits her, not her name.” 

“And she's so bright to. She already knows three grades higher worth of Spells and charms.” Flitwick chimed brightly. He was proud. 

“Neither of them have any idea though, that they're connected in such a way. Can you imagine how the idea would torment them?”

“Because Black turned out to be in League with You-know-who?” Rosmerta whispered. 

“Even worse than that. Not many people are aware that the Potters knew that “You-know-who was after them. Dumbledore, who of course was working tirelessly against You-know-who, had a number number of useful spies. One of him tipped him off and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding.” She was so stressed that her teeth were beginning to chatter. She read about the Fidelius Charm. How it concealed everyone inside of it and there had to be a Secret-Keeper. The Secret-Keeper in this case, was Sirius Black, who gave their information to Voldemort. She learned about the other boy, Peter Pettigrew, who confronted Sirius and ended up blown to bits. She didn't want to hear anymore. Her father, Sirius Black, was a traitor who killed his best friends. 

Christmas was nothing to her. She sat in the great hall, staring at her plate. She would soon be shipped away to the Malfoy’s house. When her plate was pulled away, she slammed her head on the table. 

Her parents were dead. She didn't have anyone. No more midnight trips to the junk food store. No more playing games with them. No more anything. For the first time in a long time, she didn't hold back her tears. She cried into the ancient wood of the table and let it soak up her tears. “All those leaving for the Hogwarts Express, this way.” Hagrid said. She barely managed to stand before she was pulled along by her arm. Draco was attached to the hand that was holding her. For the first time, he didn't have a snide look on his face and wasn't making dumb comments. He actually seemed genuinely concerned. It was a fake concern, she knew, but she had to give him credit for effort. She was  _ thankfully _ given the window seat, across from Pansy, next to Draco and diagonal from Blaise. 

“What's she doing here?” Blaise snapped.

“My father is taking her in because her parents are dead.” 

“Didn't you live with Muggles?” Pansy asked. 

“She did. They're dead now.” Draco answered for her. 

“Better off for them.” There was a sound of hitting something and Blaise called out. “Ow, what?” She pulled her knees to her chest, wishing that she was still at Hogwarts with Harry and Ron and Hermione. She was silent the entire ride, wanting nothing more than a mother's embrace, which she was never going to feel again. 

When they arrived at King's Cross station, she was ushered to a ministry car, which lead them to a large black building, no smaller than a castle. When she walked in, Lucius rounded on her instantly. “Pandora. I welcome you to our home. Draco shall show you to your room and I shall send a house elf when dinner is prepared.” She was lead to a room that was the size of her entire living room and kitchen from before. Pandora fell to the bed, curling up again, and cried herself to sleep. She left Ria with Hermione and Crookshanks, so she felt more lonely than ever.


	7. Chapter 7

The first day of living in Malfoy Manor, and she was left alone. She ignored every knock on the door, shooed away the house elves, and forgot to eat. 

The next day, without even knocking, someone walked in. Her back was to the door, so she didn't even see who it was. “Go away.” 

“Not happening.” When she heard Pansy’s voice, she looked up. 

“What are you doing here?” 

“I practically live here.”

“Okay, what are you doing in my room?”

“I was just told to come here. Specifically this room. I think they want you to have a friend so you stop moping and eat.”

“there are like, 100 different rooms here. Just pick another one.”

“God, you're moody.” 

“You try having your parents killed and try to be sunshine and rainbows. Actually, try to be happy one day in your life.” 

“Ugh. I can feel your depression clogging my pores. When was the last time you were outside?”

“Yesterday when I was brought here.” She groaned and grabbed Pandora’s hand, pulling her out of bed. “What are you-”

“You live here now, so I have to treat you like you're a human being. That's exactly what I'm doing.” 

“Feels to me like you're using me as a pet project.” She scoffed and pulled Pandora out of the room, down the stairs. “Where are you taking me?”

“Outside.” 

“It's December. It was just snowing.” 

“You live in a house of wizards.” Pansy pointed out. She rolled her eyes, but let herself be dragged to the patio, where heating charms were used to keep it warm and snow free. It was beautiful, flowers littering the yard, kept alive by magic. A rose bush wasn't far from them, holding deep, almost blood colored roses.

They didn't have much of a smell and that was slightly disappointing. She stood straight again, walking through the garden, smelling and observing every different flower. 

“Do you like flowers?” Pansy asked suddenly. 

“My mother did. Daffodils were her favorite.”

“What are your favorite?” 

“I never thought about it.” 

“So what's your favorite color, then?” why does she care so much?

“light purple. Lilac is my favorite.”

“Oh.” She nodded, but Pandora continued to observe the flowers. She could get used to the garden, that's for sure. 

Pandora got lost in Malfoy Manor, finding herself in the sitting room. There, among the dark furniture, she found the new seat addition to the  _ Daily Prophet _ . 

_ Malfoy Family takes in orphan _ . She rolled her eyes as she picked up the paper. 

_ The prestigious Malfoy family was contacted a few weeks ago after a Muggle family had died in the London. This might lead some to ask “Why?” The answer is simple.  _

_ Previously thought to have died as a baby, one Pandora Lupin Black was seen in Hogwarts, hanging around none other that the Boy-who-lived.  _

_ “Poor girl was raided by Muggles.” one source says, “She didn't even know that she was a Witch until she was given her letter, let alone one of such a respectable wizarding family.” _

Yea, that source is definitely Lucius. 

_ As it seems, tragic follows young Miss Pandora Black. The Muggles that she had come to know as parents were both found dead in an overturned car, leaving Pandora homeless once again. Instead of sending her to an orphanage at such a trying time, she has been graciously taken in by the Malfoy Family. “It's such a tragedy that she was left alone. I cannot let me dear niece be with anyone but her rightful family.” Malfoy states.  _

Below, there was a picture of Draco and Pandora walking to the car that was used to drive them to the Manor. God, she wanted to talk to Harry.

When Pansy found her, she was laying on the floor, staring at the ceiling. “What are you doing down there?”

“I was lost and bored.”

“Why didn't you try to find some way back to the room?” 

“It's a Muggle thing. You wouldn't understand.” Pansy sighed irritably. 

“Try me.” Pandora rolled her eyes again. 

“It's you're lost, you're not supposed to move, because then people will find you easier.”

“Wouldn't it be smarter to go back the way you came?” 

“Not if you don't know where you came from.” Pandora looked up at Pansy, wearing- surprisingly- Muggle clothes. She was wearing a mini skirt and a tank top, covered by a cardigan. Pandora had to look away. 

Sure Pandora was wearing muggle clothes too- a loose T-shirt and shorts- but it was to be expected. She was raised by Muggles. Pansy was a surprise.

Looking at her now, those clothes looked familiar… 

“You're wearing my clothes.” Pandora nearly yelled as she turned over, sitting up. “Why are you wearing my clothes?”

Pansy only shrugged. “Is it a problem?” 

“Yes, you didn't ask.” She shrugged again and sat on the couch. “You have to ask if you can use my stuff.”

“It's not that big of a deal.” Pandora stood, then, walking over. 

“It is to me. I wouldn't have cared, if you just asked.”

“If you wouldn't have cared, why do you now?”

“Because it's mine.”

“It's not like it's great stuff anyways. I mean, it is Muggle.” Pandora was angry. So many emotions were flowing through her that everything swirled around If tan grief and anger. She pulled Pansy up by the cardigan she was wearing and slammed her into the closest wall. Her knuckles were white she was holding the material so tightly. When she saw the look in Pansy’s face- almost afraid, but with something else mixed in she couldn't place- A feeling of satisfaction filled her. Pandora wanted others to feel the pain she was feeling. 

The door of the room opened and Pandora saw white-blonde in the corner of her eye. She let Pansy go, storming past Draco, walking in a random direction. 

Getting lost again, she had to call a house elf to lead her to her room. With a sigh, she locked the door and flopped on her bed, curling around herself. At this time, she would rather face Sirius Black than live here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me how you like it so far :)


	8. Chapter 8

She woke up with a wet face and a heavy chest. It's been like this since she was moved here. She always wakes up crying. She's been here past Christmas and only had a few days before she was able to go back to Hogwarts. She always dreamed of her parents. Of how happy they were. Sometimes she would dream of what the car crash looked like, blood and fire, damage and destruction.

This time was different, though, because it was still nighttime. She's usually awake in the mornings, almost always before Pansy, who she was forced to share a room with. Now, it was actually Pansy who was hovering over her bed, hand stretched out as if to wake Pandora. 

Pandora sat up instantly, wiping her face. “What's… what's wrong?” 

“What?” Pansy asked, sounding confused. 

“Is something wrong? You usually don't wake me up.” She watched Pansy in the low light, pulling her hand back.

“I was… wondering if you wanted something to eat.” Pansy offered weakly.

“Uh…” Pandora was confused. Was that really a reason to wake someone up? “Sure.” She stood- wobbling on unsteady feet- pulling on her robe. She got it for Christmas, probably because they were unsure what to get her and it was a lilac purple. She pulled on slippers and walked to the door. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Going to the kitchen.”

“You could just call a house elf.”

“They need sleep, too. Besides, what fun is that?” She continued. She walked through the door, aiming for the kitchen. She Must've taken a wrong turn somewhere along the line because she ended up near the library instead of the kitchen. She turned around to Pansy, who was aimlessly following her, to tell her to go back when she heard voices. Curious with no shame in eavesdropping, she quietly walked closer. 

“... the problem.” Was that Draco? What was he doing in the library so late? Who was he even talking to? “That's exactly the problem. There is no swaying her.” Interested in who they were talking about, she leaned in. “Her loyalties don't lie in Hogwarts, or even Dumbledore. If they did, it would probably be easier.”

“Every one of those fools has loyalty with Dumbledore.” Lucius Malfoy. She hadn't talked to him since she moved in. Maybe it was actually better that way. “Her as well.” 

“She doesn’t. It isn't Dumbledore. Her loyalty only lies with Potter.” She tensed. They were talking about Harry now? “She only cares for him.” Draco was talking about Harry.  _ No surprise there. _ Pandora thought. The younger Malfoy had taken to complaining about everything that he ever did. 

“Preposterous. She can be swayed. Everyone can.” A hand on her shoulder made her jump. Pansy was pointing to the other direction. They walked in silence, the long stretch to the kitchen. 

“Who do you think they were talking about?” Pandora asked, and Pansy looked uncomfortable for a moment. It was like she didn't want to be having this conversation. She probably didn't. 

“No clue.” her voice quivered slightly, and if Pandora wasn't paying as close attention, she wouldn't have noticed it. Pansy was lying. She didn't know how she could actually tell Pansy was lying, but she was. 

“For a Slytherin, you're not the best at lying.” Pansy startled, but didn't say anything as they made their way to the kitchen. She ate a sandwich in silence, then they made their way back to the room. She curled up on herself, wishing nothing more than to be on the train back to Harry and Hermione. 

 

“Maybe you shouldn't be with Potter anymore.” Pansy mentioned. She was on the train back, and Draco was elsewhere. 

“What?”

“I mean, he's bringing you down. You have so much potential as a witch and he's just bringing you down. Plus his Mudblood friend-” 

“Shut up!” Pandora yelled. She doesn't raise her voice often. “I don't care what you think. He's my brother. Hermione is my friend.”

“But you could do so much better. Find other Pure blood friends.” How could she? Pansy knew how Pandora felt about blood status. 

“And be a racist bigot? No thanks.” She stood and walked out of the room, looking for someone else to sit with. Once off the train, she walked straight to her common room, stopping to talk only to Hermione.

She waited in Ravenclaw tower for longer than she cared to admit. She knew what she was planning to do, she was just nervous. What if it goes wrong? What if she gets in trouble. She was the ‘poor orphan’ so she could just play it off as just youthful rebellion or something, right? Acting out because of her circumstances. 

Taking a breath, she walked out. Now or never, right? Each step felt like it took all her effort as she made her way down to the Great Hall where everyone was eating dinner. 

When she opened the door, all eyes were on her, making her nerves set on fire. First, she saw white-blonde hair next to black hair on one side of the room, then frizzy brown hair and dark skin on the other side. If this wasn't going to be a statement, nothing was. With a deep breath, she pulled away from the doors, walking towards the Gryffindor table. Even the teachers were watching her, the quiet orphan who never did wrong  _ unless pulled in by the three Gryffindors _ . Well, she's not being pulled in this time. This was Pandora, unyielding. 

She approached Hermione. She told Hermione before about making a claim of what side she was on when she first arrived, but she didn't say what it was. She told Hermione that she didn't like it, Pandora was sorry. 

“Might I borrow you for a moment?” She asked the bushy haired girl, extending her hand. Hermione took it, letting herself be lifted and lead to the front of the room. Apprehension filled Hermione’s eyes. “Trust me.” 

With one hand on her hip and the other tangling in her  _ wonderful _ mess of hair, Pandora leaned forward and closed her eyes as her lips came in contact with Hermione’s. 


	9. Chapter 9

It was rushed and hard at first, but quickly Pandora learned how to do it correctly, softening her pressure. When Hermione made no effort to back away or stop, Pandora kept going, copying what she saw on TV, moving her lips carefully, then using her thumb to caress Hermione’s hip. 

When everything else came into focus, she realized that the hall was very loud. Clapping from one end mixed with gasps from the other. She thought she heard someone from the Gryffindor table cheering- her bet would probably be Fred and George- but didn't really care. Hermione’s lips were soft and felt wonderful against her own. 

Something touched her shoulder and she pulled away to see McGonagall with an stern look on her face. Peeling herself away from Hermione, she let herself be lead away from the Great Hall, but not before flipping Draco and Pansy a bird, both of them standing, gaping looks on their face. 

She was ushered out a little faster, then. When she made it to McGonagall’s office, she sat down. Soon the door opened and three more people walked in. She looked back to see Flitwick, Harry, and surprisingly, Dumbledore. “Miss Black.” She looked forward to McGonagall again. 

“Yea?” 

“Can you tell me what that was about?”

“A kiss?”

“Why was it imperative that you kiss miss Granger in such a provocative way?”

“That was provocative?” She asked, disbelieving. That wasn't even half as bad as she'd seen on TV. 

“Answer the question.” 

“It was a statement.” She said, proudly. “I've lived with those hateful clowns for weeks. I wanted to let them know that I'm not going to be like them.” 

“And how does that convey your message?”

“Well, I don't hate Muggle-born’s for one. I don't know the…” She swirled her hand around looking for the word. She was faking the confidence, but in reality was panicking. Her heart was beating out of her chest. “the logistics? Standards? I don't know how wizards treat girls kissing girls, but I don't mind doing that either.” Everyone watched her silently. 

“Did Miss Ganger know beforehand?” She sat straight again. 

“Know that I was going to kiss her?” McGonagall nodded. “No.” 

Technically there was nothing anyone could do, as Dumbledore pointed out, since she wasn't breaking any school rules, so they let her go. 

It wasn't as bad as the next day, when an elegant owl flew in, dropping a letter in front of her. It wasn't a howler, so she didn't open it right away, waiting until it was just her and Harry standing together in the hallway. She read it out loud.

_ “Pandora. I've heard what you've done and I can honestly say I'm disappointed in you.” _ She laughed out again, clutching her side that began to hurt. Harry took over the reading because she was laughing so hard. “ _ We've done so much for you in this past few months and you do something like this? It feels as if you did this specifically to spite the Malfoy name. _ ” She herself didn't even understand why she was laughing so hard that tears were forming. An empty feeling started to claw its way out of her chest.  _ “I can manage to get over this, only if you are to apologize to the students at Hogwarts for your brazen display. I will know whether you do apologize or not. Until then, I wish not to hear a word of you.” _ She was crying more than laughing now, falling to her knees. 

Defense was an interesting class. Lupin went back to not keeping his eyes off of her  she smiled, knowing that he probably heard what she had done. Everyone was talking about it for quite some time. 

She was invited to join Harry when he learned how to fight the dementors. In preparation, she grabbed a handful of chocolate frogs and another of plain chocolate bars. On Thursday, she met Harry outside the History of Magic classroom. Professor Lupin walked up, escorting them inside. Pandora heard about Harry being attacked at Quidditch and promised herself to be there next time, even if she had no real interest in the sport. 

She sat in the background while Harry learned about the patronus. She had the letter in her hands, reading Lucius’ loopy handwriting, before putting her wand to it. “ _ Incendio.” _ The fire caught the attention of the two others in the room. To diffuse the tension, she smirked with her hands up in surrender. 

She watched Harry learn, and when the boggart dementor came out and Harry fell, she was instantly by his side, reviving him, pulling out a bar of chocolate, breaking it in half. “Thanks.” 

“It's getting worse.” Harry muttered, biting into the chocolate. “I could hear her louder this time. And him. Voldemort.” Lupin went pale.

“You can here Voldemort?” Pandora asked. 

“And my mother.” Her chest felt heavy and she leaned in, hugging him tightly. 

“Harry, if you don't want to continue, I will more than understand-”

“I do!” Harry was suddenly full of fire as he ate the rest of the chocolate in one bite. “I've got to! what if the dementors turn up at our match against Ravenclaw? I can't afford to fall off again. If we lose this game, we've lost the Quidditch Cup!” She was pleased to see him so passionate about something that wasn't trying to kill him. 

“Alright then.” Lupin said. “You might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean, to concentrate on. That one doesn't seem to be strong enough…” Pandora slid back to the wall, out of the way. When Harry fell again, Lupin got to him first. “Harry. Come on, wake up.” 

Harry sat up again, taking the chocolate. “I heard my dad.” Harry explained in a tense voice. Pandora watched him bend down away from Lupin and wipe his face. Lupin explained that James and he were friends. 

If he and James were friends, did he know Sirius as well? James and Sirius were practically inseparable, so of Course Lupin would know Sirius. While thinking, she watched Harry as he faced the boggart dementor again, this time the silvery mist came out of his wand. She jumped up, yelling as she hugged him tightly. 

“You did it!” He hugged her back, holding tightly. Harry sank to the closest chair as Lupin forced the Boggart back into the case.  _ The moon _ she thought. They all sat down, Pandora next to Harry, Lupin on the other side of him. His eyes seemed to linger on their hands, which where laced together. 

“Professor Lupin?” Harry started. “If you knew my dad, you must've known Sirius Black as well.”

Lupin turned so fast, Pandora was worried he might be hurt himself. “What gives you that Idea?” He snapped. She felt her eyes widen. 

“Nothing- I mean, I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts, too…” Lupin visibly relaxed, but it didn't affect Pandora. He was tense for a reason. 

“I knew him.” Lupin said. “Or, I thought I did. You better be off, you two, it's getting late.” She watched Lupin as she walked out, interested in his response. Was he closer to Black than he was letting on?


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that she's not sounding TOO smart. I think i'm bad at portraying children.

The next time Pandora joined Harry at the patronus lessons, he didn't even faint. He was still angry with himself over the fact that it wasn't distinct. She was impressed because it had taken her the greater part of a year just to get hers indistinct, and it's only taken Harry a few short weeks of lessons. 

“Here- you've earned a drink. Something from the three Broomsticks.” He pulled out two bottles from his case. “You won't have tried this before-”

“Butterbeer! I love that.” Harry said, and there was a tense silence. 

“I brought him back some, last time I was in Hogsmeade.” Pandora said, quickly. He looked suspiciously at both Harry and Pandora, who grinned. 

“Why were you there without Harry?” He asked and she mentally cursed herself. 

“Because I wanted to see it and bring back some candy. It was only once that I went. I brought him back a bunch of stuff from every shop.” 

“I see. Let's drink to a Gryffindor victory against Ravenclaw.” She chuckled. “Not that I'm supposed to take sides, as a teacher.”

“We're you a Gryffindor?” Pandora inquired.

“Why do you ask?” 

“Well, we know that Harry’s dad was a Gryffindor, and since you and he were friends, wouldn't that require you to be Gryffindor, too? You'd have to be close to him, right?”

“Aren't you and Harry best friends and in different houses?” She flicked his eyes up, thinking. 

“But, you wouldn't have been in Slytherin, because Slytherin and Gryffindor don't get along, but I doubt you were Hufflepuff. I could see you being Ravenclaw as well, but it's more likely that you're Gryffindor. It's in the way you teach. Instead of teaching from a book, like a Ravenclaw who wants them to learn, you teach hands on, like a Gryffindor who wants them to enjoy learning.” He seemed very impressed. 

“What's under a dementors hood?” Harry asked. 

“Well, the only people who really know are in no condition to tell us. The dementor lowers its hood only to use its last and worst weapon.” Lupin explained. He seemed quite indifferent about the whole subject at hand. 

“What's that?”

“They call it the Dementor's Kiss.” Lupin stated. “It's what dementors do to those they wish to destroy utterly. I suppose there must be some kind of mouth under there because they clamp their jaws upon the mouth of the victim and… suck out his soul.” Harry spat out his drink while Pandora shuttered.

“What? They kill-”

“Oh, no. Much worse than that. You can exist without your soul, you know. As long as your brain and heart are still working. But you'll have no sense of self anymore. No memory no… anything. There's no chance at all of recovery. You'll just… exist. As an empty shell.” Pandora felt her mouth go dry and wished she hadn't turned down the butterbeer when it was offered. Getting your soul sucked out… it sounded painful. “It's the fate that awaits Sirius Black. It was in the  _ Daily Prophet _ this morning.” 

Pandora's hands tightened. Her father, if he could even be called that. Did Lupin know about her when she was born? She turned to ask, but saw Harry’s face. He was concentrating on a particular spot on the floor. 

“He deserves it.” Harry said, darkly. 

“You think so?” Lupin said, as if it was a normal conversation. “Do you really think anyone deserves that?”

“Yes, for… for some things.” she sat in silence. Harry thanked Lupin for the Butterbeer and trudged away. Lupin stood and walked a short way away. 

“Professor Lupin?” He turned around, looking at her the same way he always did. Sadness and grief. “ _ How  _ well did you know Sirius Black?” He turned white again, shifting his eyes away from her. 

“Not as much as I thought I did.” 

“Did you know about me, then?”

“You?”

“Sirius Black is my father.” His eyes widened, as if it was a big secret. “I heard the Minister talking to Rosmerta when I went to Hogsmeade. Did you know?” 

He was silent for a long time. “Yes.” He whispered. “I… thought you died like everyone else did.”

“Why?” She didn't even know people thought she died until she read that paper. “Why does everyone think I died?”

“Because you were living with Sirius. When he went to Azkaban, no one could find you anywhere.” There was something painful to listen to in his voice. “They thought that maybe he killed you.”

“Someone knew. The Minister at least. He said that I was in a foster home until I was three.” 

“He probably had someone ask your parents what happened. No one knows what happened. Just like with the Potters. No one knows.” 

“Sirius Black might.”

“I don't suggest going out to ask him.”

At the Quidditch game, Pandora watched Harry closely. The sky was clear and bright and everything was good. Lee was commenting, and it seemed more like an advertisement than a game play. 

She sat in boredom, not interested in the game, that is, until a black shape began to creep it's way through the sky. She was going to do something, but Harry reacted first, pulling out his wand, casting a patronus charm at them. When he caught the snitch, she screamed out as well, jumping over the gate to run to him. Lupin was there when she threw herself at him, hugging him tightly. He set her back to the ground, face beaming with delight. She then remembered the black figures. Pandora ran over to the crumpled Slytherins dressed in black. White blonde hair stuck up from the pile. 

“Foul, cruel, evil little worm!” She kicked dirt at them as McGonagall chewed them out. She walked away, back to Harry, forcing a smile back on her face. George yelled about a party in the Gryffindor common room and Harry cheered again, Pandora pushing Draco’s idiocy out of her mind for the moment. She wouldn't ruin the moment for Harry. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, this might not make sense or be good quality, but it is really fun to write.

When she heard about Sirius Black’s attack, Pandora panicked. She wanted to know if Harry was okay, and more importantly, how he even got into the building. She thought about the map, which is how Harry made it to Hogsmeade, but wouldn't Sirius have to know about the secret passages to use them? When she found him and Ron, that were fairly shaken, looking around as if expecting Sirius Black to jump out from behind every picture. 

“Are you okay?” She asked quietly, looking at Ron, who was more scared than Harry. 

“He was there. He opened Ron’s curtains and had a knife.” She looked between Ron and Harry. 

“Why Ron?” The boy in question looked up. 

“What do you mean?” Harry asked. They both seemed to have no idea what she was inquiring about. Did they not see the obvious?

“Well, if he was after you, he would've gone to your bed. You can tell the difference between red and black hair. He would've had time to look at both you and Ron behind the curtains. He specifically saw Ron’s hair and opened that curtain.”

“Maybe he didn't care.” Ron snapped. “Maybe he wanted to murder me so no one would alert someone to him killing Harry. Maybe he didn't want anyone to hear, so he was trying to kill the closest person to him.”

“Wouldn't he start with Harry though? He was smart enough to get into the room, why would he make a mistake when Harry was right there. He could easily silence Harry, killing him, then escape with no one else to hear.” 

Ron scoffed. He seemed to come to a realization of something. “Are you sure you're not just defending him because he's your father?” 

She stood abruptly, upsetting the bench. She couldn't believe at that moment that she was being accused of defending a murderer. “I don't care who he is. I want him caught just like the rest of you. He could be my damn clone for all I care, I can't wait until they finally catch him and give him what he deserves.” Pandora leaned down and forcefully shoved a plate away so that it clattered on the floor loudly and stormed out of the room. She began to walk, the anger inside her not dissipating as she paced. 

She found herself in the hall near the training room. She hadn't been there all year. Anger filled her. Injustice for Harry, anger towards Ron, rage from all of the instances that have happened all year.

When she punched the wall, she could feel the bones cracking In her hand. She hissed at the pain that splintered up her arm. A wonderful feeling filled her, like the anger and misery just melted away. As she looked at the broken skin of her hand, she realized that her breaking her hand was what released that feeling. It was a feeling of delight, almost. It was mixed with relieve and she didn't understand why she was experiencing this. 

She punched again just as hard, calling out as her hand came into contact with the stone. The pain twisted in her chest, causing her to look at the bloody stone in interest. Was it the building that was causing these feelings? Her magic? “What are you doing?” Someone asked, almost panicking. The girl walked up, between her and the wall. “What the hell, Pandora?” it was Pansy who took her hand and looked at it, noticing her bleeding from her knuckles and noticing her palm was soft with shattered bone. When her hand was touched, she hissed again, but didn't pull away, almost hoping for Pansy to hurt her again.

Pandora was dragged to the infirmary, being made to sit down as Skele-Gro was shoved down her throat. “What happened here?” Madam Pomfrey demanded, looking at Pansy. 

“I did it. I tripped down the stairs and caught myself on my hand.” Madam Pomfrey gave a look of not believing, but didn't question further. When she finally walked away, Pansy cane over. 

“Why did you lie?” She rolled her eyes as she looked at Pansy. 

“You really expect me to tell the nurse I deliberately broke my hand? I don't know how that's treated with wizards, but that can send Muggles to the mental hospital in an instant.”

“Muggles have an individual hospital for mental problems?”

“Well, I'm sure that Wizard hospitals have it, too. It's usually an individual floor dedicated to mental health.”

“St. Mungo’s has one for magical maladies, but not just for mental health.”

“Well, I should consider myself lucky, then, because I won't be sent to the loony house.” Her hand was wrapped when she was released, causing Harry to look at her in question. When she waved him off, not answering, he seemed to let it go. Something else was on his mind, but at the moment, she didn't truly want to know. 

Whenever Ron was around, she just walked away, not even trying to get him to apologize. If he were truly sorry, he would do it on his own. She found herself using the training room, but not for training. She took her anger out on the dummies there, destroying them before turning around and letting them reset before doing it again. About twenty minutes in, she was physically exhausted and quite thirsty from the heat of the fire she was using. The water she brought was across the room.

Pandora picked up her book, looking for the summoning charm. Shed been practicing this the year before, but  Was unsuccessful. She took a deep breath, picturing the bottle of water in her mind. “ _ Accio _ Water.” 

It came flying to her hand, so hard that it hurt the flesh of her palm, but she smiled brightly feeling successful. 

When she walked out of the room, fully pleased and less angry, she walked towards the common room, running into Pansy again. Pansy flicked her eyes to Pandora's hand, then back up. “What do you want?” 

“Do you want to go to Hogsmeade?” So many thoughts passed Pandora's mind. She would be hanging out with Harry. She didn't want to be with Pansy. She liked Hermione. Harry was a better person altogether. 

“I'm not going.” Pansy’s face dropped. 

“Why not?”

“I'm going to be studying. In the common room all day. I'm gonna be with Luna.” 

Pandora ended up telling Luna to stay in the common room all day of Hogsmeade,  which Luna agreed. When Pandora laid down, she thought about the look on Pansy’s face. 


	12. Chapter 12

Pandora met Harry by the One-Eyed Witch. When he pulled out the map, they noticed a small dot heading their way. Neville Longbottom. 

She swallowed thickly as he put the map away in in a hurry, just in time for Neville to walk up. “Harry! I forgot you weren't going to Hogsmeade either!” He looked at her. “And Pandora. Why aren't you there?”

“Here with Harry.”

“Hi, Neville, what are you up to?” Harry asked. They began talking, Harry making excuses until she saw Snape over Harry’s shoulder. 

“What are you three doing here? An odd place to meet…” 

“We weren't meeting here. We just met here.” 

“Is it a crime to be walking around? If so, you've done the exact same thing.” He scowled at her. She suddenly remembered what she said in first year. “ _ I bet my father was a better wizard than you will ever manage to be.” _ She could laugh out loud. Her father was a murderer. 

“You two have a habit of turning up in unexpected places, Black. You and Potter both. And you're rarely there for a good reason. I suggest the pair of you return to your House rooms, where you belong. They all walked in the direction, Pandora turning around and flipping the bird to the back of Snape’s head. 

Harry managed to break off with Neville, opening the map. Snape was in his office, so they made their way back to the One-Eyed Witch and to Hogsmeade, pulling on the Invisibility Cloak. Harry and Pandora looked around, Harry amazed at what he was seeing. After a while, they made their way to the Shrieking Shack, which was supposedly the most Haunted place in Britain. Pandora pulled out from under the cloak with a deep, clear breath. It was too hot under there. 

When she heard voices, she turned around, Ron doing the same thing. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were together. Draco seemed pretty surprised to see her. 

“Wow. Here I thought you actually liked girls, Pandora. Guess I should tell Granger that you've obviously taken by the Weasel.” She scowled at him, remembering that when they were alone in the Manor, he was completely different. “I think you actually hurt the poor girl's feelings. The only way anyone would like her is for sympathy anyways.” She growled, tightening her grip on her wand. “Maybe you actually like her but want something better. I mean, the toilet is always available.” She walked up to him, grabbing his shirt, punching him hard in the face. After that, she shoved him away and stormed away, all the way to the castle. She waited by the One-Eyed Witch, casting an  _ Avis _ charm, making the birds run into each other. 

Everything happened at once. Harry clattered out of the passage, out of breath, then Snape came around the corner, billowing and mischievous. “Come with me, Potter. You too, Black.” They followed, Harry squeezing her hand tightly, all the way to his office. 

“Sit.” Harry did. Pandora didn't. Harry didn't. Snape growled in his throat, casting something silently, making them both fall to their chairs. “Mr. Malfoy has just been to see me with a strange story, Potter. He tells me that he was up by the Shrieking Shack when he ran into Weasley and Black. I seem to recall Black staying here from Hogsmeade.”

“I changed my mind. It's not a crime.” 

“Mr. Malfoy states that he was standing talking to Black and Weasley when Black attacked him.”

“Oh, man. Guilty.” Pandora laughed. 

“Detention for using violence against another student.” Snape turned to Harry. “He told me that while talking, a large amount of mud hit him in the back of the head. How do you think that could have happened.”

Harry looked surprised. “I don't know professor.”

“Sounds like Magic.” Pandora said, offhandedly. Snape’s eyes bore into them. 

“Mr. Malfoy then saw an extraordinary apparition. Can you imagine what it might have been, Potter?”

“No.” 

“It was your head, Potter. Floating in midair.” She thought about the Invisibility Cloak. Did It get pulled off? She sat back, faking nonchalance. If they seem to tense, they give themselves away. When he stood, she stayed down. She barely listened to their conversation until, “Turn out your pockets, Potter.” When Harry tensed, she somehow knew that he has something in his pocket. She stood next to him. “Turn out your pockets or go straight to the headmaster. Pull them out, Potter.” She watched as he pulled out a bag from Zonko’s and the Marauder’s map. Snape picked out the Zonko’s bag. 

“Ron gave them to me.” When Snape picked up the blank map, she had the urge to snatch it out of his hands. “Spare bit of Parchment.” Harry said. 

“Surely you don't need such a very old piece of parchment. Why don't I just throw it away?” 

“No!” Pandora yelled. “It's mine. You can't throw away something that belongs to someone else. It's vandalism.”

“What is it then? A letter perhaps, written in invisible ink? Or instructions to get into Hogsmeade without passing the dementors. Let me see.” Snape pulled out his wand, pointing it at the parchment. “Reveal your secrets.” Nothing happened. “Show yourself.” When the map stayed blank, Pandora let out a breath. “Professor Severus Snape, master of this school com and you to yield the information you conceal!” When the writing came on the paper, Pandora couldn't believe her eyes. 

_ “Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and he begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.” _ Pandora was trying to hold back her laugher so hard that tears were forming in her eyes. “ _ Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git.” _ she couldn't hold it in, laughing out loud. Harry didn't share her joy, however. “ _ Mr. Padfoot would like the register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor.” _ She was practically rolling. “ _ Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape a good day and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball. _ ” 

Pandora was trying to catch her breath, Snape glaring daggers into her. “Another detention for you, Black.” She shrugged, watching Snape walk over to the fireplace, throwing a glittering powder in. “Lupin! I want a word!”

When Professor Lupin came in, looking rather dusty from ashes, she straightened up, but couldn't keep the smile from her face. “You called, Severus?” She found it strange. Snape addressed everyone by their last names. If the person was a Slytherin, he used pronouns. Even with teachers. But Lupin addressed Harry and Pandora and even Snape by their first name. 

When the map was shoved at Lupin, a strange look crossed his face. He wasn't surprised that he was getting paper shoved in his face. Or maybe he wasn't surprised of what the paper had on it. 

While they talked, thoughts fluttered around Pandora's head. Ron came clattering into the room out of breath, explaining that he gave Harry the Zonko’s stuff a long time ago. 

“Well! That seems to clear that up.” Lupin seemed to be in a better mood as he lead them out the door. Ron and Harry looked around nervously, but Pandora wasn't afraid. The worst Lupin could do was detention. She was already used to that. 

“Professor, I-”

“I don't want to hear explanations.” Pandora bristled with defense for Harry. “I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filtch many years ago. Yes I know it's a map. I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am however astounded that you didn't hand it in.” Pandora stepped so that she was between Harry and Lupin. “After what happened last time someone left Information about the castle lying around, I can't let you have it back.” 

“Why did Snape think I'd got it from the manufacturers?” 

“Because… these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of the school. They'd think it extremely entertaining.”

“You know them?” Harry was amazed. 

“We've met.”

“How would Black even know what it was if he found it, since it just looks like a piece of paper. Unless he knew what it was, he wouldn't see any different?”

Lupin hesitated.  _ Bingo _ . Pandora thought, raising an eyebrow to him. “Maybe he knew one of the mapmakers and gathered the information.” why did Lupin seem so nervous? “Listen, Harry, don't expect me to cover for you again. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously, but I would have thought that what you heard when the dementors draw near you would have more than enough effect on you.” Harry looked as if he was going to cry and Pandora pushed him away from Lupin. If Lupin noticed, he didn't say anything. “Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor way to repay them, gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks.” He turned to Pandora. “And you were taking extra lessons specifically to aid him, how could you let him do something so dangerous?”

When he walked away, Pandora followed. She pushed the door to the defense room open, causing him to start. “I let him because I was there.” 

“Pardon?”

“I was there to protect him. He's just a kid. I was letting him be one. He's only thirteen years old and already his life has been in danger no less than five times.”

“Pandora, you're a kid, too.”

“If I have to sacrifice myself so that Harry can have one fleeting moment of living his age, I'd do it in a heartbeat.” 

“You can't mean that.” She felt the anger coming back, gripping the doorway. 

“With my whole soul.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favourite chapters this book and i was using it to set up the relative friendship between Pandora and Remus, as well to show how everything is affecting Pandora mentally.

Pandora went to find Harry in just enough time to watch Hermione’s hand go across Draco Malfoy’s face. When he retreated to the castle, he stopped in front of her. “You're just going to let her do that?”

“Let who do what?” He groaned, running behind her saying something that sounded like  _ why is everyone hitting my face?  _

She found her way back to the great hall, leaving Harry and Ron to make up with Hermione. If they were in the same area for longer than five minutes without arguing, she figured they'd make up soon. 

At lunch, she sat next to Harry, who was still giggling from his charms lesson. “Cheering Charms?”

He laughed out loud, “Yea.” soon enough, though, he stopped laughing, Pandora watching his face drop dramatically. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Buckbeak.” She scowled. 

“The Hippogriff?”

“He’s going to be executed.”

“What? Why?”

“Stupid Malfoy. He told his father that Buckbeak attacked him and is dangerous.”

“The only thing dangerous about about that bird is its fur. So soft someone will die.” Harry laughed, knowing that Pandora didn’t do well with the giant bird. 

“Can’t you stop him? Convince him that Buckbeak doesn’t deserve this?”

“I can try, but he won’t listen to me.” She explained. “He treats me no better than a House elf. You know they talked about Dobby a lot over the break?”

Harry perked up. “They did?”

“Yea. Draco said that it was a shame that they lost such a good servant and Lucius told him that he hates you a little bit more for costing him.” Harry chuckled. 

“I’m sure they have other house elves to pull into slavery.”

“They have like five of them. They didn’t even need Dobby.” He nodded again, looking at his food. Ron moved back towards them. 

“Listen, Pandora. I’m sorry about what i said. It was stupid of me.” She narrowed her eyes at him, but didn’t say anything. She had the slightest suspicion that Hermione had something to do with it. She was just happy they were getting along. Speaking of…

“Where is Hermione?”

“We don’t know. She wasn’t in charms. We haven’t seen her since before then. She smacked Malfoy.”

“I know. He was grumbling about it.” She made her voice go pitchy. “Smacked by a mudblood! Oh the shame!” Ron chuckled, but otherwise didn’t speak.

She went to Transfiguration while Harry and Ron went to Divination. Mcgonagall looked at her sadly. Why was everyone always doing that? Her next class with Slytherin, she walked to Draco immediately. 

“Would you just let the damn bird live?”

“Bird?”

“The Hippogriff. I know you’re the one who is basically controlling this. You could tell Lucius to stop the trial. He has the entire government in the same pocket he holds his money in.”

“I don’t know what your talking about.” She smirked and she had the urge to hurt him.

Pandora wasn’t very good at stopping her urges.

She grabbed up his robed, slamming her head against his and let him crumble to the ground. “Black!” Mcgonagall snapped. She looked up as innocently as possible. 

“Yes?”

“Detention!”

“That’s it?” The professor went red with anger. She knew she would regret it later, but right now, she was numb. She would have disappointed her parents.  _ They were dead, so it didn’t matter. _

“One week of detention.” She shrugged, kicking him in the side as hard as she could. She didn’t realize that Mcgonagall moved until she was being pulled out of the classroom down to the griffin. She was being taken to the headmaster. No one was in the room, so she was sat down. “You will wait here. Do not move, do not touch anything.” She saluted as the old woman stomped out of the room. 

“Oh, Miss Black.” A voice said. She turned to see Dumbledore walking from a door. “Why are you here?”

“Orphan teen angst.” She snipped out before she could stop herself. He only chuckled. 

“Ah, youth.” He smiled. “Such a troublesome time, isn’t it?” 

“I guess.”

“Quite so, for one who has had as many trials as you’ve had.”

“I’m sure i don’t know what you mean.”

“Well, you’ve been orphaned twice, the very man in charge of one is on the loose. You live with the enemy of your brother. You have that thing with Miss Granger.” Pandora paled. “Oh, believe me, i take no shame in young love. It’ll just do to remember that it’s not only your feelings that should be considered here.” 

Yea. I figured that much.”

“Now, let’s talk about young Mr. Malfoy.” She felt her mood drop. “Why is it that you have hurt him? Is it for the same reason that you’ve hurt your own hand that many weeks prior?” She was surprised at him. The only person who knew was Pansy. 

Before she could answer, the door opened. Mcgonagall walked in followed by Flitwick.  _ Ooh. _ she thought bitterly.  _ So scary. _ But then, someone walked in behind him and she winced. Why did she have to bring Lupin into this?

“Albus. I see you’ve been talking to her.” 

“Yes, Minerva. Though i have not gotten much more than pleasantries out of our young student.” He looked at her, as did everyone around her. “Why did you inflict pain on Mr. Malfoy?”

She only shrugged. “It was kind of fun, i guess.” It wasn't even a lie. Hurting Draco felt almost as good as punching the wall had before. Lupin wasn’t looking at her, but Flitwick seemed to be unable to look away. Mcgonagall was looking at her as well, as if she was about to stand and say that she was turning over to the dark arts and was going to join Sirius in murdering innocents. When she stood, everyone but Lupin and Dumbledore flinched. 

“Why are you looking at me like that? So i wanted to hurt the little twat. You would to if you had to live with him.” Lupin looked over at Albus, who looked down, shaking his head. “I’ll take my detentions, can i go now?”

“I am far to irritated with you to have you do them with me.” Mcgonagall snapped, but it didn’t have the venom that it usually did. They really were treating her like the distressed child.

“I’ll take them.” Lupin offered. “I have plenty of papers to grade and a tank to clean.” She remembered the grindylow, becoming hopeful. 

“Very well. Just make sure she doesn’t have too much fun.” Mcgonagall sighed. “She can take them after school and during my class.” Pandora looked at her teacher. “I don’t want you in the same room with the person that you seem to enjoy hurting. At least for now.” Pandora scoffed.

“If i enjoyed hurting him, he would never not hurt.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hit me up on tumblr: http://that-artistic-tortilla.tumblr.com/ (because i'm lame and don't know how to do links?)


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this chapter, I'm taking a hiatus from this story while i work on others that i've been planning. Until further notice, this will be the last chapter i add for this Pandora. If you have any ideas about how you want the story to go or what you might want me to think about, feel 100% free to comment any time :)

“Would you mind telling me why you actually punched Draco Malfoy?” Professor Lupin was sitting across from her as they graded papers. Detention with Lupin was quite easy.

“He’s an ass.” She picked up a piece of paper, noticing Harry’s messy scribblings. She chuckled at his writing, but was astounded that he had every answer correct.

“He’s one of my best students.” She looked up to see Lupin looking at her. “In my top five. Of course you’re there, too.” She smiled, but kept grading. “So, about living with the Malfoy’s…”

“My parents were in a car wreck. They died. Lucius Malfoy _ graciously _ look in a  _ damaged and lonely orphan _ . I live with them until i can manage to either get kicked out or i get old enough to move away, or die.” His face softened.

“Do they treat you badly?”

“That depends on what you see as bad”

“On a scale of one to ten, Ten being the best.”

“Negative four. I might as well be a servant in one of those rich people movies.” She remembered that strangely, wizards didn’t know about Muggle things. “Movies are-”

“I know what movies are, Pandora. My mother was a Muggle.”

“Oh. OH!” She looked at him. “You’re a half-blood.” He had a smile of amusement playing on his face. 

“Does that change anything?”

“Not really. I actually kind of figured you for a muggleborn.” He laughed. 

“No, my father was, in fact, a wizard.”

She snorted. “So was mine, i guess.” The mood darkened. “Sorry, i shouldn’t joke like that.”

“It’s okay. I was about to ask you how you’re handling this?”

“This?”

“Sirius Black.”

“Oh. Everyone thinks i'm supposed to be afraid, but i'm not. I’m not afraid of him. To me, he’s just some dumb guy who is threatening my best friend. If it wasn’t for that, i wouldn’t care. I’m not afraid. I’m angry.” Lupin nodded. “Can i ask you a question?”

“Ask away.”

“Were you close to him? Is that why my middle name is your last name?” He turned slightly pink at that, like there was something that he didn’t want to talk about. 

He looked at the watch on his wrist. “We can talk about it next time. You should probably get to your class. It’s getting late.”

Pandora heard about Hermione storming out of Divination. “Why?” She asked, when she walked to the Gryffindor table. 

“Because it’s so fake. All she does is look at the faintest little speck and tells harry that he’s going to die.” Pandora nodded along, listening to her rant. She was talking, looking at Pandora, then she stopped. “I need to do something. Would you come with me?” 

“Sure.” They walked out of the great hall, down the hallway and to the girls bathroom. “You needed the bathroom?” Pandora asked, incredulously. While Hermione checked every stall, Pandora bounced from foot to foot, growing jittery. She walked back to Pandora, “What’s up?”

“If you don’t like it…” Pandora’s heart jumped. That was the same thing she said when... _ oh. _ Before she could finish a rational thought, Hermione’s lips were on hers and Pandora’s hands were on the girl’s hips. 

She kissed and kissed, her hands ran up Hermione’s hips, and one raised to her hair, burying in surprisingly soft curls while Hermione’s hands went around her hips, pulling her closer. She let Hermione push her against the wall, taking control. It seemed like this was for something more than just to kiss. Maybe it was liberating for Hermione. Maybe there was something else behind it.

She jumped when Hermione’s hands raised to her chest, grabbing her hands. “Wait… Wait, what are you doing?” She would definitely hate herself later for stopping, but wouldn’t let herself take advantage if something was wrong. “Are you okay?” Hermione looked at her for a moment, then she began to tear up. Before a tear even fell, Pandora was wrapping around Hermione, holding her. 

“I’m just so stressed.” Hermione cried. She buried her face into Pandora’s shoulder. “Everything is just becoming too much with Harry and classes and Hagrid’s trial and Buckbeak.” Pandora just listened, petting a hand over her hair trying to comfort. “I didn’t think it would be this bad, but i can’t keep track of everything and i need a break.” 

After a while, Hermione’s sobs quieted, but Pandora made no move to get up. They were probably late to their class, but Pandora didn’t care.When the door opened, she looked up to see Pansy walking in. She looked different than she did the last time Pandora saw her, like she changed her face. It wasn’t as squashy anymore, her features better defined.  _ She magically changed her face.  _ Pandora thought. She opened her mouth when she spotted Hermione, but Pandora quickly pulled out her wand, aiming it at the Slytherin. “ _ Try anything, say anything, _ ” She whispered, so not to disturb Hermione, who she was pretty sure was asleep, “ _ And i will hex you so bad it’ll take months to get it off. I know wordless magic.” _

“You can’t know any of that.”

_ “Wanna find out?” _ Pansy just scoffed and walked out the door, not letting it slam. Pandora waited until Hermione stirred to stand up, walking Hermione to her class. It was a shared class, so they walked in together, everyone looking as they did. Hermione sat beside Ron, and Pandora beside Harry. 

“Where were you? You’re half an hour late.”

“It’s History of Magic. Binns doesn’t care. I’ll leave Hermione to explain.” Harry nodded in understanding.

Stressed over the upcoming match, Harry was focused on Quidditch mostly. That was okay, Pandora wanted him to win. Not only for his own sake, but for hers, too. She wanted to shove it in Malfoy’s face harder that she had hit him before. He was being an ass and she wanted him knocked down a few pegs. 

Pandora couldn’t sleep. She was worried about Hermione. What was that breakdown about? Why was she so much more stressed than every other third year? What was she doing that she was basically bordering panic attack?

Pandora reached out to Ria’s usual spot, but didn’t feel the comforting fur. She looked around; Ria wasn’t anywhere. She stood, looking for the kitty, when she heard a mewl. Pandora looked up to see Ria outside the window. Running over, she opened it. “How did you get out there, you silly kitty.” She was about to close the window when she noticed something dark moving in the distance. She squinted, noticing the large black shape looked similar to an animal. It was with Hermione’s cat, just walking around the grounds. Were there wolves in the forest?

She yawned, pulling Ria in the window, before closing it and falling back to the bed. She would ask someone tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> find me on tumblr [here](http://that-artistic-tortilla.tumblr.com/) :)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am continuing this story, and I will try to make regular updates, but I am very forgetful. They aren't going to be daily because I'm going to try to update my writing skill. For further explanation about the hiatus, i made a post [on tumblr](http://that-artistic-tortilla.tumblr.com/post/165855225403/about-pandora-black-on-ao3)

She couldn’t help but to be swept up into the excitement of the crowd. People were wearing red and gold, cheering for the Gryffindor team, so she joined along. “GO GRYFFINDOR!” She yelled. “GO HARRY!”  When the team came out, she cheered harder than ever, hoping he could hear her. Logically, he wouldn’t be able to but a girl could dream.

When the Slytherin team came, she didn’t share in the boo’s since she kind of lived with one, but she wasn’t happy about them. Pandora knew they’d try to cheat in one way or another. When they set off, she turned talking to Hermione and Ron. “So who do you think will win?” Pandora asked, making conversation.

“Gryffindor, of course.” Ron defended.

“It’s not who you hope will win, Ron.” Hermione argued. “Though, logically Gryffindor is more likely to win.”

“Harry’s firebolt and all.” Pandora finished. “So did either of you see a black dog yesterday?”

“Black dog?” Ron asked. “Like the grim?” Hermione sighed heavily. 

“No, like an actual black dog. I saw it last night. It looked like Crookshanks was with it.” Hermione thought for a moment. 

“Well, he wasn’t  with me last night. It could have been. Though, i don’t know why he would be okay with a dog.”

“He’s smart. Maybe he knows whether another animal is good or not.”

“Maybe.” They watched the game, silent again. A first year  was struggling to get to them, fighting past cheering Gryffindors. He had to yell to be heard.

“Pansy Parkinson wants you down by the entrance!”

“Well, I’m watching Harry, so she’ll have to wait!” She yelled back.

“I was told not to leave without you!”

“Then stay here with us!” The young Slytherin looked uncomfortable, like he felt like he was betraying his entire house by being in the stands. “The only way i’m leaving is when someone wins this match, so either tell her too bad, or get yourself comfortable.” She stood when everyone else did, cheering with the crowd. 

“Please! I have homework to do.”

“Then go get it done.” He sighed, sitting down for a moment. He was contemplating. He decided just to walk away, leaving Pandora alone. She looked up just in time to see the ball hit Harry’s arm. She screamed for him, watching his face contort in pain. It was the dirtiest game she’d ever seen in sports, people purposely hurting each other on both teams.

“This game is barbaric!” She yelled, and Hermione agreed. 

“But they love it, so let them have their fun.” Pandora only nodded. No one would get seriously hurt without them stopping the game, so she didn’t worry so much. She was flabbergasted when Malfoy actually grabbed the bristles of his broom. This time, she did join in on the  _ boo _ that the stands erupted in. When Harry grabbed the snitch, her ears began to ring with the sound of the cheers from the crowd around her. She joined in when they all ran down, her Hermione and Ron pushing through the crowd. Harry’s smile was so wide that it seemed to be too big for his face as he was hoisted into the air. “You did it!” She yelled. When he was set down, she wrapped her arms around him hugging him tightly. He looked like he was up in space, flying so high no one could touch him.

Exams came quicker than she expected, almost sneaking up on her. They were all rather easy, however, since she had been practicing in secret since last year. In transfiguration, her teapot was supposed to be turned into a turtle. Outside of the classroom, she met with Harry. “Does it count if it’s a teapot in the shape of a turtle?” Harry laughed out loud at that, probable knowing that Pandora hadn’t messed it up so badly.

In Charms, she was teamed up with Padma, but she was nervous because she was still under the watchful eye of Flitwick. She ended up going to powerful with the cheering charm, making Padma jump up and yell with glee. Pandora was in no better state when Padma was done, rolling on the floor laughing.

Back in the common room, they were studying, and Pandora wanted nothing more than to hang out with Harry and Hermione and Ron. For care of Magical Creatures, Pandora just sat and watched the flobberworms, having nothing better to do while the trio talked to Hagrid. She wasn’t as invested into Buckbeak’s trial and that made her feel kind of selfish, so she wasn’t even going to start to try.

Potions was the hardest exam to pass. It seemed like Snape had a personal vendetta against her, him treating her almost as bad as he did Neville. When she finally finished her Confusing Concoction, apparently it was too thick and she failed, even though it was nearly perfect. Astronomy was the easiest, since she practically had the stars memorized. Looking at the stars, she wrote down the stars for Canis Major.  _ Sirius. _

Pandora thought back to what Luna had said on the train the year prior.  _ You’re connected to the stars. _ Had Luna known that Pandora was Sirius’ child back then? That’s not possible. Is it?

For Defense, Lupin had them running an obstacle course, which was probably the most fun Pandora ever had in any school. It was fairly easy for her, until she made it to the Boggart. “Are you ready?” Lupin asked, dubiously.

She didn’t have a choice. She needed to pass the exam. With a nod, she steeled herself, holding her wand like a sword, shoulders squared, one foot in front of the other. “Open it.” She already had an idea of what was going to happen

She didn’t even flinch this time, knowing what to expect. He looked younger as a boggart, less aged with troubles. Harry was standing in front of her, smiling, before the smile faded from his face and his eyes rolled up, him slowly falling to the ground.

“ _ Riddikulus. _ ” She said, before he could even make it to the ground, and he blew up like a great balloon, starting to float away. Professor Lupin chuckled and brought the boggart back. 

“I want to talk to you. Meet me in my office later.” She nodded, wondering why he would want to talk. Was it about her exam?


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that Pandora does seem TOO smart, but I couldn't quite see another way that this would go with Pandora in the room.

“Tea?” Pandora had met with the trio after the exam, Hermione talking about how she failed the boggart before she walked to the Defense room, where Lupin was waiting.

“Sure.” She sat down across from him, taking the cup. On the desk, the map was laid out and activated. “So which one are you?”

“Excuse me?” He turned around, going pale when she pointed to the map. “Why would you assume I am one of them?”

“Context clues. In muggle school, I was best at English. That’s a part of it. My mother used to watch crime shows and bet me that I could figure out the person before they did.”

“Okay, enlighten me. What clues?” The amusement in his voice seemed to be a cover for something darker.

“Okay, one, you knew it was a map without even looking at it. To anyone else, it just looks like a piece of paper that insults people. You specifically knew it was a map.”

“I can see your point.” He said, looking at the map. 

“And you specifically knew how to open it. I heard that Hogwarts is unplottable, so if someone had made a magic item strong enough to bypass that kind of magic, wouldn’t they keep it close to themselves? No one would trust just anyone with it. I figure that only the four people who made it actually knew about how to do it. Not counting the Weasley twins. They’re a magic all their own.” He was looking at her in the same way she did to questions she didn’t understand. He was studying her.

A look crossed his face. “Why did you want to learn about the Patronus if the Dementors don’t affect you as bad?”

“I already know how to cast it, I was just here for Harry.” He looked skeptical, she stood, pulling out her wand. “Expecto Patronum!” Out of her wand came the silvery mist, which formed into the tiny creature she had come to know as the fennec fox. “I learned last year when I and a few students learned really hard magic just to prove we could.

“You kids are amazing.”

“It’s really nothing.” It was silent for a long time. 

“How much do you know about your father?”

“Enough. I know that he had the Potters killed. He killed his friend Peter, along with a bunch of muggles. He was once part of an esteemed family, but went against their views, which is why some people were surprised when he had them killed.”

“And your mother?”

“I never found out about her. No one seems to know who she was.”

“That’s because it was kept rather secret. It was in the middle of a war, after all.” Pandora nodded, watching him glance at small movement on the map. She could see what was going on. By Hagrid’s cabin, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were standing. “Her name was Marlene Mckinnon.”

“Cool.”

“It was Sirius’ idea to have a baby and she decided to do it.”

“Decided to?”

“She was a surrogate mother.”

“So he didn’t even love her either?” Another look crossed his face. 

“He did, but, more as a close friend than a romantic partner.”

“So who was she stepping in for?” His eyes flicked down as she drank her tea in one drink. When she came up for air, he was scowling at the paper. 

“We’ll talk about it later. Stay here.” And he ran out, leaving her. She sat for a moment, looking at the map, when she saw, by the Whomping Willow, a dot that was labeled Sirius Black. She stood quickly, turning the map to face her. Harry and Hermione were only feet away from him, Ron right in front of him mixed with another name: Peter Pettigrew.    
Not even considering Lupin’s words, Pandora ran out of the room. If Sirius Black wanted Harry, he would have to go through her first. She ran across the grounds, not even caring about the danger. Like hell she was afraid, she wanted her brother safe. 

Pandora hid behind a rock, waiting for Lupin to walk away when he actually made the Willow stop moving in time for him to go to the tunnel below it. When he disappeared, she followed, hoping that he was far enough away to not hear her. It was still frozen, so she tried to run for the hole. 

It was definitely farther than it looked, the tree slowly becoming more and more active as she approached. By the entrance, she cursed herself for wearing flats, slipping in the mud, landing on her back. Pandora looked up just in time to see a large branch coming down, directly towards her face.

Pandora yelped as she was pulled by her ankles into the hole, looking up to see Lupin standing above her. “I told you to stay!” He snapped as she stood, tying her hair into a ponytail. She turned back to him, pulling out her wand.

“If you think I'm going to stand around while that maniac has free access to my best friends and my brother, you’re crazier than he is.” She ran through the tunnel, coming to a door. She ran through and up the stairs, running through the next door, seeing Harry and Hermione in the corner, next to Ron. 

She ran over, hugging Harry, who was tense, before turning around and feeling her chest tighten. He was standing there, hair reaching to his elbows, skin seeming too tight for his body, seeming waxy and thin. His clothes barely fit over his thin and bony body. She recognized him as having Ron’s wand in his hand, so she looked at the boy. He was sitting on the ground, bleeding profusely from his leg. Barely taking her eyes off the man, she leaned over to him, only looking away to conjure a bandage, cutting off Ron’s pant leg to wrap it tightly around the injury. Ron hissed at the pressure but thanked her in a whisper. Before she could register what was happening, Harry tackled at Black, grabbing him and punching him directly in the face. When he and Harry tumbled to the ground, she made to help him but something wrapped around her waist. She looked back to see Hermione holding onto her, crying heavily. 

When Sirius’ hand wrapped around Harry’s throat, she pointed her wand, but couldn’t get a clear shot without hurting Harry in the process. Hermione had let her go and she tackled them, pulling Harry out of Sirius’ grip in time for Hermione to kick him as hard as she could, Ron landing himself on Sirius’ wand hand.

When Crookshanks went for Harry’s wand, she felt a slight sense of betrayal. Betrayed by a cat; who knew. She winced as Harry football kicked the cat, sending it flying.   
“Get out of the way!” Harry yelled and they all moved so Harry could aim at Sirius Black. Hermione took her and Ron’s wands from him, standing back while Harry held him there. There were words shared between Sirius and Harry, but she was too far to hear. She tended to Hermione’s lip, which was bleeding until there was a sound downstairs. Thank god, Lupin is finally here. She thought as Hermione yelled about where they were.

The door opened, and Professor Lupin ran in, looked at the situation. “What took-”

“Expelliarmus.” It seemed like slow motion that her wand was extracted from her hand, leading straight to Lupins. He walked over to Sirius. “Where is he, Sirius?” Why was he casually talking to Black? Didn’t he say that James and he were friends? Why would he be so calm around his friend’s killer? Did that mean they were working together?

Lupin and Black were working together. But then, if they were working together, they had the same goal, so why did he need to know where Harry was, he was right in the room. Unless they weren’t looking for Harry.

She tried to pile together all of the information she knew. Lupin and Black were friends with Harry’s father and Peter Pettigrew in school. Sirius Black had the Potters killed, then killed Peter. Peter Pettigrew was supposedly dead but was in the map. If he was dead twelve years ago, how was he still walking around? And how did no one notice him? She was missing something very important, she could feel it. 

When Black pointed at Ron, she looked at him as well. The only thing about him was that he had Scabbers in his hands. Wasn’t Scabbers dead, though? WHAT WAS SHE MISSING? She watched Scabbers trying to get away, wild enough that his paws were all but a blur. 

It was driving her mad to not know what she was missing. She stepped closer to Ron, patting Scabbers, who was practically shaking. She looked back to Black, noticing, just barely with all of the scuffle marks, giant paw prints. Was Sirius Black an animagus? The black dog. Sirius was walking around the grounds and no one had any clue. Unless they had the map, they wouldn’t see anything less than a large black dog.

The map. Pandora put a hand to her eye. Her head was beginning to hurt. If Sirius was an animagus, he wasn’t registered, she checked the registry. Hermione screaming brought Pandora out of her thoughts for the moment. Lupin was helping Black stand. 

“He’s a werewolf!” she cried. She knew that, Since the essay on werewolves, she looked at the moon cycles. That’s why he was afraid of the moon. Pandora gasped out loud as things clicked together. Moony! Lupin was Moony! That’s why he knew what the map was. So, Sirius became an animagus… why?

What did she know about werewolves? They only attack humans, not animals. When they’re lonely, they attack themselves. The scars are permanent. Sirius turned into an animagus to keep Lupin company during the full moons. Being a dog, he would be Padfoot! And since He and James didn’t ever do anything apart, so that means James would have done the same thing. So he was either Prongs or he was Wormtail. As if everything made sense in the universe, Pandora looked at Scabbers.

The only thing they found of Peter was his finger. The same one that Scabbers is missing. Wormtail. Pandora didn’t mean to make the sound as she looked from Sirius to Scabbers. If Peter isn’t actually dead, Sirius didn’t murder anyone! 

It was just then that she also noticed that everyone’s attention was on her. Pandora watched as Sirius nudged a bony elbow into Lupin’s side, which caught his attention and he nodded, giving a short smile, before returning his face to its previous anger. 

When Lupin stepped forward, Ron shuffled away. “Get away from me, werewolf!” He stopped dead, looking at Hermione.

“How long have you known?”

“Since the essay,” Pandora said. He went, if possible, even paler than before. “I’ve been watching the moon cycles. Stars are kinda my thing.” Sirius smiled again, but only faintly, before his face fell again. She could only roll her eyes, focusing back on Lupin. She knew he was innocent, but no one else did. She had to play it safe, or else she would be accused of being in league with a murderer like last time. She needed a way to work into it.

It seemed like fate was on her side this time when she heard Sirius Black’s voice say a name. “Peter Pettigrew.” 

“HA!” She yelled, again attracting everyone’s attention. Internally cursing herself, she looked around the room. She really needed to control her mouth. now or never. “I figured it out. A minute ago. It was…” She cut off, looking at Ron, who was looking between her, Lupin, and the elder Black.

Everything became a flurry as Sirius leaped at Ron, Lupin pulling him off, then they had a very loud conversation, like a married couple. “We owe Harry the truth! At least him! And your daughter too!” Pandora reeled back, a bit surprised. She didn’t expect him to mention her. This whole thing had been about Harry. “Just hold Peter tight.” He said, pointing at the rat.

“He’s not Peter! He’s Scabbers!” Ron nearly fainted, Harry and Pandora helping his down while Sirius and Lupin explained. When the door flew open, she looked at it, curiously. When Ron said the place was haunted, Lupin explained that it had been him, transformed alone, howling, rather than ghosts. To diffuse the situation, they were all given their wands back.

She didn’t keep her eyes off of the doorway. 

He explained what she already knew. Lupin was a werewolf, his changes were lonely, his three friends became illegal animagi to be with him during full moons. When Lupin mentioned Snape, Sirius didn’t react well. He snapped, asking about the man, seeming disgusted when Lupin mentioned him being a teacher. 

As if everything turned bad all at once, that was exactly when the greasy man himself showed up from under Harry’s invisibility cloak.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this chapter. We're almost done with Prisoner of Azkaban. Yay!

Not even listening to reason, Snape attacked Lupin. Snake-like ropes wrapped around him and Hermione screamed out. Everything was happening too fast for her to process it all. Snape was pointing his wand at Sirius, then the rope tying Lupin was being pulled while the man still struggled, and Harry was blocking the door and raising his wand at Snape. 

Everything flurried at once, but she knew that she had to protect Harry, so she raised her wand to him as well. Snape raised his voice, so she tried to disarm him, at the same time that Hermione, Ron and Harry did, too. His body flew across the room, hitting the wall. Since he was out of the way, she crouched down, untying Lupin just as Sirius did. When her hand touched his cold one, she pulled away quickly; far too quickly to be played off. 

Lupin stood, looking at Snape. Then at Scabbers. They tried to convince Ron to give them the rat, but he quickly denied it. Pandora didn’t have the heart to pay attention, her headache raging now. Her ears were ringing as her head pulsed, her eyes far too sensitive to the minimal light in the room. She opened them just enough to see Sirius looking at her with concern before Hermione was beside her, holding her up. 

“It’ll be fine.” She tried. “I used to get them as a child. It’ll go away.” Hermione nodded, not letting her go. She turned back in, listening to them explaining. 

“This cat isn’t mad,” Sirius explained, pointing at Crookshanks. “He’s the most intelligent of his kind that I've ever met.” She grinning at Hermione. “He recognized Peter for what he was right away.” She was amazed that her cat was so smart. 

“Why did he fake his death?” Harry asked about Peter. “Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents.” Pandora rolled her eyes, which sent tendrils of pain through her skull.

Lupin spoke up. “No, Harry-”

“And now you’ve come to finish him off.” 

“Yes, I have,” Sirius stated darkly, looking at the rat. When Lupin explained, she hoped that it made sense to Harry. Peter betrayed Harry’s parents and Sirius tracked Peter down, not the other way around. 

“That’s not true! He was their secret-keeper! He said so before you turned up. He said he killed them!”

Sirius shook his head, matted hair flying around his sunken face. “I as good as killed them. I persuaded James and Lily to use him as a secret-keeper rather than me. I’m to blame, I know it.” So then Peter, being secret keeper, went straight to Voldemort as soon as he knew. Then Sirius, finding out what Peter did, hunted him down, and Peter killed those muggles, cut off his own finger, then framed Sirius, faking his own death. 

“Enough of this,” Lupin yelled. “There’s one certain way to prove what happened. Ron, give me the rat.”

“What are you going to do if I give him to you?”

“Force him to show himself. If he really is a rat, it won’t hurt him.” Ron was very hesitant. 

“Give him the stupid rat, Ron!” She yelled, and Ron did just that. When he handed the rat over, it began to squeal and squirm trying to get away. The light blue light was nearly blinding to her, pulsing her head so severely it felt like her eyes were going to bleed. Why a migraine? Why did she have to have one now? She was about eight the last time she had a really bad headache. When she looked up from Hermione, a man was standing there, looking like he lost a great deal of weight in a short amount of time, just as Scabbers had.

“Sirius… Remus… My old friends…” Peter began on a tirade of blaming Sirius for everything, saying he had to fake his own death so that Sirius wouldn’t kill him like he killed Lily and James. 

Apparently, according to the rat, Peter knew that Sirius was going to breaking out of Azkaban even though it was near impossible because he had dark powers from Voldemort himself. Sirius explained that he heard people screaming in Azkaban about being mad about a double-crosser. He called Sirius a spy, the man in question saying that he wasn’t and it was obvious that Peter was always liable to be the spy. 

“Lily and James made you Secret-Keeper on my suggestion. I thought it was a perfect plan...a bluff…” He thought they would go directly for him, Peter would be safe, thus Lily and James would be. But Peter went straight to Voldemort.

“Professor Lupin, Can… can I say something?”

“Certainly, Hermione.” Pandora smiled faintly at how courteous he was being.

“Well, Scabbers- I mean this, this man. He’s been sleeping in Harry’s dormitory or three years. If he’s working for you-know-who why did he never try to hurt Harry before now?” Peter began to speak shrilly and she couldn’t hear him correctly, once again, cursing her headache.

“Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you.Voldemort’s been hiding for fifteen years. They say he’s half dead. You weren’t about to commit murder right under Dumbledore’s nose for a wreck of a wizard who’d lost his power, were you? Why else would you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren’t you Peter?” Peter opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out.

“Uh… Mr Black- Sirius?” It was almost comical the way that Sirius jumped at hearing himself being addressed like that. “If you don’t mind me asking- How did you get out of Azkaban if you didn’t use Dark Magic?” Peter started to speak, but Lupin silenced him with a look. 

“I don’t know how I did it. I think the only reason I hadn’t lost my mind was because I knew I was innocent.” How cruel, an innocent man going to a prison no less than a torture chamber. “That wasn’t a happy thought, so they couldn’t suck it out of me. But it kept me sane and knowing who I am. When it all became too much, I would become a dog. Dementors can’t see, you know… they feel their way towards people using emotions. They could tell my feelings were less complex, less human, but they thought that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn’t trouble them. But I was weak, very weak and had no hope of driving them away without a wand… But then I saw Peter in the picture… I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry perfect position to act if one hint reached his ears that the dark side was gathering strength again.” That Reminded Pandora of Harry telling them what the Weasleys said. ‘ _ He’s at Hogwarts _ ’

Pandora sighed, straightening up as much as possible. That thought made him fill with Determination to keep Harry safe. “Believe me, Harry. I would never betray James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them.” After a tense silence, Harry nodded.

“No!” Peter screamed, falling forward to his knees. He shuffled forward, towards Sirius. “Sirius- it’s me… it’s Peter… your friend… you wouldn’t-” When he grabbed Sirius’ robes, he kicked out, making Peter recoil.

“There’s enough filth on my robes without you touching them.” Pandora snorted, earning the man’s attention for a moment. She just looked away.

“Remus.” He practically whined. “You don’t believe this- wouldn’t Sirius tell you the plans had changed?”

“Unless he thought that I was the spy.” He stated. “I assume that’s why I was not told?”

“Forgive me, Remus.” 

“Not at all, Padfoot, old friend.” Pandora felt a small smile cross her face. “And will you, in turn, forgive me for thinking that you were the spy.”

“Of course,” Said Sirius, with a dopey kind of smile as he looked at Lupin- Remus? It was the kind of smile that Kelly used to give Howard and he would return when she wasn’t looking. It was the kind of look you give to the person you can’t live without. 

She remembered what her teacher said before.  _ Surrogate mother. _ She felt her jaw drop. Pandora  _ Lupin _ Black. 

Peter grovelling at Ron broke her out of her stupor. He was calling himself a “good pet” then at Hermione, saying she was sweet and kind. Pandora aimed her wand, making sure he didn’t touch her. 

“Pandora. I- I watched you as a baby! You wouldn’t do this to me-” He yelped when little red sparks flew out of the end of her wand. 

“Don’t you even talk to me.” It was Harry’s turn for him to grovel at, begging for his life. 

“Harry, you look just like your father-”

“HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY! HOW DARE YOU MENTION JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM!” Sirius yelled.

“Harry, James wouldn’t want you to kill me-”

“Funny, Harry wouldn’t know what James would want because of you.” Pandora snapped.

“You sold out Lily and James to Voldemort. Do you deny it?” When Peter burst into tears, Pandora grimaced. He was disgraceful.

“He was taking over everything! What was there to gain by refusing him?” She was disgusted.

“What was there to gain by fighting the evilest wizard who had ever existed? Only innocent lives, Peter.” Sirius barked.

“You don’t understand. He would have killed me, Sirius!”

“THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED! DIED RATHER THAN BETRAYED YOUR FRIENDS AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!”

Pandora watched as Sirius and Lupin raised their wands, but Harry stepped in. He suggested taking him to the Dementors so Sirius could go free. She personally liked that option. Maybe then, Peter could get no better than what he deserved, The Dementor’s Kiss.

Lupin tied up Peter before tending to Ron. He had bled through the bandaged Pandora created, so he replaced them. They levitated Snape, chaining both Ron and Lupin to Peter, walking to the castle. Pain radiated through Pandora’s head. Trying her best to fight through it, she walked with the group.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna be honest, I was almost giving up on this story until a person commented that they wanted it to continue. I'd started working ahead on it (halfway through Order) when it just felt like it wasn't going anywhere. Now that I have that comment (you know who you are, thank you) I'm gonna keep going with this story.

“Do you know what this means?” Sirius asked Harry. “Peter being turned in?”

“You’re free.” They were ahead of her, Pandora taking the back in front of Hermione.

“Yes. I don’t know if you were told, but i’m your godfather.”

“Yea, i knew that.” Harry said, quietly. She could already tell where this was going.

“I’m your guardian. If anything were to happen to your mother and father. I’ll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle. But… well… think about it. Once my name’s cleared… if you want a different home…”

“Live with you?” Harry asked. She could tell he was inflated at the idea. Pandora would agree too, if she had to live with his family. Though, she has to live with the Malfoy family, so it wouldn’t be too bad on her part either.

“Of course, i thought you wouldn’t want to. I understand, i just thought i’d-”

“Are you insane? Of course i want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can i move in?” She chuckled sadly at his enthusiasm. 

“You want to? You mean it?”

“Yea! I mean it!” Harry ran forward, talking to Ron, but Sirius stayed behind. 

“Of course, you too.” She looked up, pretending to be lost in thought.

“What?”

“I could take you in, too if you wanted. I mean, i know you’re with the Malfoys in the lap of luxury, but-”

“If you told me right now that i never had to go back to that godforsaken manor, it couldn’t be soon enough.” Another smile broke out on his face, so lively and free that it almost seemed like he wasn’t affected by the bad things that happened in Azkaban. 

“I assume Remus told you about me?”

“You used a surrogate mother to have me.”

“Yes. It was for-”

“You and him to have a child.” He looked at her incredulously. “He didn’t tell me. I’m really good at picking up details and things that most people don’t see.”

“And it doesn’t bother you?”

“My first kiss was Hermione. My first two, actually.” He chuckled. “Do you think you could tell me about her? Marlene? I know you weren’t in love with her, she was just a substitute womb, but i’d still like to know.”

“She was more than that, Pandora. We had discussed, when Lily came out as pregnant, maybe adopting a baby as well. It was her idea, being a surrogate. She had you less than a week after Lily had Harry.” She felt tears filling her eyes, this time not induced by the headache. “I can talk more about her, if you want.”

“That would be awesome.”

“Uh…” He seemed hesitant. “With Malfoy, nothing bad is happening, right? They’re not treating you badly, right?” She didn’t want to worry him, just when he was about to be free.

“Nah, they’re treating me good, i guess. Nothing compared to living with my parents- or… my muggle parents, but it’s okay.” He smiled again. “Can i ask you something now?”

“Sure.”

“Why did people think i was dead?” His face darkened. 

“Because when i went after Peter, i left you with the neighbor. She took care of you pretty often when i had to do things. Well, apparently, when i was on the news, she turned you directly in, taking you to the muggle police. No wizard that had searched my house could find you because you weren’t even there. It was an Auror who found you as you were being adopted. The Minister i guess let you be adopted. He was the only one who knew where you were until your Hogwarts letter.”

“That explains why after i introduced myself, everyone freaked out.”

“I suppose.”

“Though, Padma said it was because my last name.” Sirius only nodded as they walked into the clearing. 

A cloud shifted though, revealing the moon, which was full. She knew what that meant. “He’s not safe!” Hermione yelled. Lupin began to change shape, shifting before their eyes. He was turning into a werewolf.

“RUN!” Sirius yelled, tackling Remus. Ron was still attached to Peter and Lupin, so she quickly ran forward, trying to release the boy, when she was shoved roughly, knocking her over. Pandora scrambled to stand, trying to reach for Ron still. Pettigrew had dived for Remus’ dropped wand, but Pandora was faster, grabbing it. When he started to shift back into a rat, Pandora pointed it. “ _ Impedimenta. _ ” The wand went a bit shaky because it wasn’t hers, but the spell was effective. He slowed to a crawl so Pandora had the chance to grab him just before she was pulled by her robes. As she ran, he thrashed wildly, but she grabbed the rat by his neck. Harry yelled something to Sirius. While Harry and Hermione ran down to Hagrid’s hut, Pandora bolted for the school. There was a chance that Pettigrew would still escape and she was not willing to let that happen. She ran inside and looked through the halls. A prefect called her to attention. “What are you doing after curfew?”

“Where’s Mcgonagall’s office? Or her room?” The Hufflepuff prefect took in her tattered dirty clothes and the struggling rat in her grip. “It’s a matter of life or death. Just tell me where she is, please.” She was escorted in the correct direction.

Luckily, she was still in her office. As they came closer, Pettigrew began thrashing more violently. She shook him slightly earning a look from the prefect. As Pandora ran in, she closed the door so that the Prefect couldn’t come in. The teacher stood. “What’s- Miss Black?”

“You’re an animagus.” She rushed out, holding the rat just a bit tighter. “So you know a spell that turns them back human.” She eyed the rat in Pandora’s hand.

“What’s this about?” 

“It’s quite important. Do you know that spell?”

“Of course.” Casting another impediment hex on the rat- this time with her own wand- she put it on the desk. 

“Please.” He slowly tried to get away, but with the speed, it looked nothing more than a leisurely stroll. She cast the spell and just as before, the rat changed and grew and shifted into the man that betrayed his friends. Mcgonagall sucked in a breath. She cast her own charm at the man, stopping him entirely. 

“This is-”

“Peter Pettigrew.” She explained everything that she had heard from Sirius and Remus- not including Snape’s involvement. “Professor, we need to tell someone. You need to. No one is going to believe children. Or Sirius. We need to-”

“I know. I will… I thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will contact Dumbledore immediately. Please go to the hospital wing.” She motioned to her own nose so Pandora touched her own. Her nose was bleeding again.

* * *

 

When Pandora woke up, she was groggy and dizzy, but didn’t have a headache. She tried to sit up, to see where she was but was pushed down. “Oh, hun, please stay down. You’re still recovering.”

“Mom?” The woman stifled a noise.

“No, Pandora. You’re in Hogwarts.” She sat up quickly. 

“What-”

“ Please, Pandora. Just calm down. All will be explained. Harry is fine, Hermione is fine. Ron is fine, now lay down.” The woman walked away, grabbing a big chunk of… something… she couldn’t see correctly because her eyes were blurry. 

She stood anyway, a fuzzy feeling covering her mind. Pandora peeked out of the curtain to see Harry and Hermione standing beside Dumbledore and Mcgonagall. The Minister and Snape were there too. “You expect me to believe-”

“Yes, Cornelius. I saw him with my own eyes. Would you like the memory? I would be willing to part with it.” Mcgonagall snapped. Snape looked livid. Pandora noticed that she had what looked like a bruise on her neck. “I’d be willing to take veritaserum if need be.”

“I don’t think-”

“You-” Mcgonagall interrupted Snape, “Have no say here. Be silent.”

“You should listen to her, Cornelius. I do believe that you do know someone who could do such a thing.” He sighed. 

“Very well. We will return.” Everyone but Dumbledore left, Snape seething. 

When the door was closed, Dumbledore turned to Harry and Hermione. “There is still one matter that is important.” He ducked close so that Pandora couldn’t hear what was being said. When they were done, Dumbledore walked away and closed the door, locking it.Hermione put something around Harry and Her necks and they faded out.

“Wait, what?” She reached out, thinking it was invisibility, but she didn’t touch anything. She was just starting to wonder if she was going crazy and they were never there, when they both walked in the door, significantly more dirty and frazzled than the moment prior, but smiling widely. 

Pandora simply stood there, mouth opening and closing, but no sound coming out. “I’ll explain later. Just get in bed.” Harry told her. She didn’t need telling twice. Her headache was slowly crawling back to the surface so she laid down and was out within minutes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was actually going to go a much different way, but I like this idea much better. I'd even built the entire future stories on the other plot so i have to edit to fix it.


End file.
